CJ Verse 2 - The Teenage Years
by Awatere11
Summary: CJ was a precocious child and as a sixteen year old, his mouth knows no limits. The twins are his willing minions and poor Ianto is run ragged as Jack flaps his coat heroically! Arrrrggghhh. Will rate highly for Jack's apologies.
1. Chapter 1

Ianto found the note in the washing.

Well, of course he did. Not like any other member of the family would consider helping with the housework, Ianto grunted to himself as he checked the pockets of the clothing he was angrily stuffing into the washing machine.

The coins, weird piece of alien tat and spare car keys already sat in the side bench as he slid his hands in CJ's skinny denims. Paper.

Ianto withdrew the piece of paper and stared at it for a moment, wondering if he should read it or not. Considering the fact that at this precise moment Jack was regaling the twins with Ianto's first ever Weevil hunt, complete with scared whiney noises as he mimicked Ianto's weird stalking while CJ played the part of the weevil … well, all bets are lost.

It was a love letter. OH MY GOD! Ianto felt himself blush as he looked at the feminine writing.

 _Dearest Caden_

 _Thank you for being my lab partner and for helping me with my homework. I am so glad we are friends and I really liked the way you held my hand at lunch._

 _I would like to know if you can go to the movies with me on Saturday night._

 _I will wear the shirt you like and you can wear those tight jeans._

 _Love from Tarn_

Ianto folded it carefully and smiled softly. He finished the washing and walked back upstairs just in time to watch himself, apparently cowering behind Jack's mighty coat.

Ianto frowned as he watched the show. He didn't remember that bit.

SJ was in gales of laughter while RJ had her hands over her mouth as she watched with wide eyes. Then they narrowed and she lowered her hands.

"Oi! Taddy is not a scaredy cat!" she roared and Ianto felt a swell of love for his six year old princess as her twin gave his signature snort of derision.

"Nobody said he was a scaredy cat!" CJ shot back, then he smiled.

Standing next to his father in matching hero pose, he looked so much like Jack that Ianto felt his heart swell. Such a handsome young man.

"Taddy's a girl's blouse!" CJ yelled and then turned to run.

As RJ screamed with rage and chased her sixteen year old bastard of a brother, Jack felt his balls shrivel as he saw Ianto in the doorway watching.

And listening.

Ah, shit!


	2. Chapter 2

Driving

CJ looked at his classmates with growing dread as a familiar screech of brakes heralded the arrival of his parents.

His Dad was the first one out, swinging around the door with a swish of flair as he turned to simultaneously shout at his partner who was still struggling with the safety belt and move toward the group of teenagers.

With a sigh and roll of his eyes, CJ started to walk slowly to his doom.

"Well?" his father demanded with his hands on his hips and one eyebrow hitched.

"It's not that bad!" CJ tried bravado, "Only dented the fender and Mr Gorrison said next time he might even keep his eyes open for the whole lesson."

"Ha! Told you he'd be OK" his father crowed as he turned to address the flustered arrival of his partner.

"Dented fender? I thought your driving instructor had his hand on the handbrake" Ianto's eyes widened as he tried to remember if they were liable for any damage done to the school car or not.

"Tad! I did fine! Look, even got a note for ya" CJ thrust the paper at Ianto while still grinning at his Dad who was grinning back like the Cheshire cat in front of a mirror.

"Only a matter of time before the SUV needs a spare set of keys then, aye Yan?" Jack smiled.

"What?" Ianto hadn't intended his voice to squeak like that but he definitely knew that they were not covered on their insurance for that!

CJ felt more than heard his Tad's displeasure at the promise and shrugged it off at he headed for the car.

"It's OK Dad, at least Tad can't get a booster seat in my bloody size!" he muttered as he passed Jack.

Jack sighed and pulled his son into a hug, not caring if his friends saw CJ returned it.

"Come on then, the Roast needs basting!" Ianto droned, passing them to reach for the passenger door.

"Shotgun!" CJ yelled, slipping around his Tad and into the front seat with the same grace and flare his father had shown exiting from the opposite side not five minutes earlier.

With a grunt Ianto looked over at Jack for backup only to find a door slamming shut as the two in the front argued about stopping for sushi or pizza, Ianto's Roast comment totally ignored.

Ianto groaned softly and sank back into the back seat as he resigned himself to another quiet night of ironing and arguing the twins through their remedial reading homework as the two Harkness men moved onto what version of Halo they would play after dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

3

CJ found Ianto out in the garden.

He was angrily tearing out plants and throwing them in the wheelbarrow.

"I thought you liked those ones Tad" he frowned as Ianto reached for another.

"Your siblings have given them all a haircut. I can either have a nice green border for the rest of the summer or I replant and hope the replacements will flower for me at some stage" Ianto sighed and straightened his back as he looked along the row of plants still to be removed.

CJ hadn't noticed the lack of heads and now looked as well. The pretty confetti that had rained along the edge of the garden and lawn was now clearly petals. CJ groaned as he saw what was definitely more than a misdemeanour in his Tad's "book of naughties".

"I'll talk to them" he said, turning to go in.

"Don't bother." Ianto's voice was calm but CJ caught the dejection in it and turned back. "Your father already has. I think they're having ice cream, if you're quick you may get some too."

"Oh Daddy!" CJ growled as he stormed through the house to the kitchen.

Sure enough, his father had a big tub of chocolate ice cream on the table and three bowls were in use. SJ was laughing and RJ was politely asking for more sprinkles.

"Sprinkles" CJ spluttered, feeling more than slightly mad for his Tad's garden.

"Looks like they've had enough sprinkles today Dad! Or did you not see the sprinkles they already put all over the bloody lawn!" CJ growled and Jack jumped as he heard his husband's voice echoing from his sneer.

"That!" Jack exclaimed, pointing at CJ, "Is weird. I've never heard him from you before!"

"This isn't funny Dad!" CJ fumed, "They've upset Tad, ruined his garden and now you reward them?"

"Reward …" Jack frowned as he looked down the table.

"Did not! I told them off and then they were going to cry and …" Jack stopped talking and stared at the tub of ice cream. "Oh. Your Tad told you."

"Daddy, did you not learn with me?" CJ sat and folded his arms on the table, "Taddy can't be the bad guy here. He's out there almost in tears because days of work are ahead of him to fix what they did. You know he loves his garden and they might as well have taken a shit in the middle of this table for the level of distress I can see out there!"

"CJ said shit!" SJ declared as he pointed with his spoon.

"Don't point with your utensil at the table" RJ gave a much better impression of her Tad a she glowered at him, "You are the one who smashed them all with the stick. I told you Taddy would be angry!"

"He's not angry" CJ looked at his lovely little sister, so small and perfect that she reminded him of a wee fairy, "He's hurt. What if Taddy decided to burn you dollies in the fire to see what colours the flames went."

RJ gasped with horror, her eyes filling her face as she dropped her own spoon.

"As for you!" CJ glowered at his mini me, "I think Taddy should confiscate your games!"

SJ stared at his brother with confusion all over his face. CJ was the hero, his big brother and he had never been angry like this. SJ tried to compute.

"Taddy won't though, will he?" he finally asked quietly.

"No! Because he loves you and forgives you, even if you did deserve a smack for hurting his plants and making more work for him" CJ rubbed his face and Jack watched as SJ's face began to crumble.

"I hurt Taddy's plants" he wailed, sliding his chair back and running from the room.

"Nice!" Jack scolded, "Now you've upset him."

"DAD!" CJ roared, "What about Taddy? He's the one upset here. They both deserve disciplining, not bloody ice cream that will ruin the stew I smell cooking."

Jack groaned and slammed his head down on the table as CJ went looking for his brother.

He found SJ out in the garden in Ianto's arms as he tearfully admitted that it was him who had killed the flowers. Ianto looked up at CJ and smiled.

"You took them to task then, did you?" he asked.

"Yeah! All three of them" CJ sat on the edge of the deck with a thump and Ianto couldn't help the snort.

"I hope your Dad didn't try the pout" Ianto said looking down so CJ wouldn't see the humour in his eyes.

"I'll give him bloody pout Taddy dear." CJ smiled, catching it anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

4

CJ was nervously changing his shirt for the third time. He liked this one as well but he knew Tarn would look immaculate as always and he wanted to match.

The skin tight jeans showed off his assets (Thanks for the DNA there Daddy) and he knew the shirt could make or break the ensemble.

As he stood there glaring at himself, Tad wandered into the room with a hanger of shirts. CJ's eyes lit up as he saw the colour spectrum.

"These are from my working days, with your Dad" Ianto said quietly, hanging them on CJs wardrobe door. "I wore a different colour each day. Your Dad loved me in pink or red though."

CJ turned and caught the soft blush as Ianto brushed his fingeres over the sleeve of a red shirt.

"He called this my "sexy shirt" and used to threaten to smack me for distracting him in it" Ianto gave a wistful smile at the memory and CJ frowned as he realised how lonely his Tad was.

He hadn't noticed the lack of affection between them, his childhood had been riddled with kisses and cuddles but now it was a chaste kiss as Dad roared off into the sunset and Tad went to do the washing.

"Do you miss it?" CJ asked.

"Do I!" Ianto sighed, "I loved watching your father in Captain Mode. All sexy and demanding. I also liked the interaction with the team, the arguing and banter. I even miss your uncle Owen, and that is definitely saying something."

CJ stepped closer and removed the red shirt from its hanger. He slid it on and Ianto's face lit up as he saw his son's pale skin begin to glow.

"Oh Caden-Jack! You look so grown up" he sighed, reaching out to touch his face.

"It's OK Taddy, I have enough Dad in my DNA to never be that" CJ snorted as he looked in the mirror and Ianto laughed softly.

"True. Sometimes I wonder if I married Peter Pan" Ianto smiled at the reflection.

"Look who's talking Mr No Grey Hair! You and Dad have never changed. No a single wrinkle or grey hair!" CJ smiled back through the glass.

"Huh?" Ianto frowned as he stared at his son, "I told you, your father is special. He won't …"

"Tad. I know we had the "Secret" talk about Dad's 51st century home and all but that doesn't explain you!" CJ said and Ianto stepped over to stand next to him, staring into the mirror.

"I never thought about it" he muttered as he frowned at his youthful reflection.

"Well, I have," CJ answered, "Soon RJ will notice. SJ won't notice if you dye your hair purple but that little Miss will work it out soon enough. Dad isn't the only one who isn't changing."

Ianto had no answer as he stared at his reflection, he still looked to be in his early thirties.

He turned to see CJ bending over to do up his boots.

"God! Those jeans are decadent aren't they" he said with shock.

"Decadent? Not indecent?" CJ looked over his shoulder with a Harkness grin.

"Well, your Dad has a pair that …well" Ianto cleared his throat and smiled, "I think she will be blown away."

"I hope so" CJ sighed, "Tad?"

"Yes bug?" Into said absently as he reached for the discarded clothes on the floor and CJ smiled as he heard his childhood name.

"Tarn. Well …" he grimaced and Ianto raised an eyebrow.

"Tarn is my friend. We sit together and have been in the same class for three years now, and … well … we weren't even close … I didn't know it was more than just friends, but now when I see Tarn … I feel … I mean …" CJ flapped his hands and Ianto walked over to give him a gentle hug.

"Tarn was just there and kinda blindsided ya, huh?" Ianto whispered.

"Yeh" CJ relaxed into the rare display of affection, "He did."


	5. Chapter 5

5

Ianto sat on the bed with CJ and held his hand.

"This is a bit more than just friends" he said softly and CJ nodded.

"Have the two of you …um…" Ianto cleared his throat and CJ felt his own blush forming.

"No! I mean … we've kissed, but nothing more" CJ looked at the floor, horrified at what was being discussed.

"It's OK to take it slow." Ianto said as he watched the blush, "With your first love you need to be sure and you need to remember that you will never forget him. Whatever memories you make will last a lifetime, so make them sweet."

"Really?" CJ looked up, "Yours are sweet with Dad?"

Ianto snorted, "Your Dad wasn't my first love. Her name was Lisa and I thought we would be together forever."

"A girl? Your first love was a girl?" CJ gaped.

"A woman! I was in my late teens when I met her. Nineteen to be exact!" Ianto smiled back as he watched CJ's face, "She was beautiful. Gorgeous and so warm and soft. We were going to get married, have kids … the whole deal. I had even proposed and she wore my ring."

"What happened?" CJ gasped, on the edge of the bed.

"She died." Ianto said simply, shrugging as he looked away. "She left me behind."

CJ felt a wave of pain from his Tad and he reached out to catch a hand. "Taddy?"

"Your father is the reason I went on." Ianto finally looked back, "He was my friend and he wouldn't let me crawl under a rock and die. I realised quite a bit later that he wasn't hanging around for my cooking, although he never complained"

"Wow!" CJ was gobsmacked and leaned back.

"I never wanted a man before, never have wanted another since" Ianto smiled softly and he missed Jack's shadow move in the hallway as he stopped and listened outside the door, "You can't control your heart darling. If Tarn makes your palms clammy, your heat race and your mouth dry … he's the one."

"Oh God, when I see him I just want to hold him and it feels so weird" CJ sighed. "I don't know if he feels the same. What if he likes girls? What if I'm some kind of test?"

"Honey, I saw the note you left in your pocket." Ianto huffed, "I think Tarn is hoping for the same thing."

"Yeah?" CJ's face lit up, "You aren't mad that I want a boy? I mean, if Dad is the only one …"

"Hey!" Ianto laughed, "I don't care if it's a transvestite from Transylvania as long as you're happy and loved in return!"

"Oh boy" CJ sighed as he let his head drop to his Td's shoulder, "I bet he would look fantastic in heels."

Ianto laughed and prodded his son, "I have photos of your Daddy in drag for a dress up party."

"When!" CJ gasped.

"When you were a baby and we still went on dates" Ianto laughed, missing the way the shadow shifted in the hall, "He was gorgeous. Like a movie star, he was."

"You and Dad," CJ struggled to find the right words, "You still love each other, right?"

"Of course we do buggy bum" Ianto said with open surprise.

"It's just, well you don't cuddle anymore." CJ shrugged, "No kisses and touches like you used to. I guess I just wonder why you don't show it."

Ianto struggled now, the answer lost to him as he grimaced, "Your Dad has a very demanding job and things are a bit trying for him lately. He still loves me, I know he does. It's just … well, I am a bit boring. It was different when we worked together, flirted and had moments to steal a few kisses and such but now we have separate lives it just doesn't happen."

"You aren't scared he sees you as just a bit pf the furniture?" CJ demanded.

"CJ. I know where this is going and I know your Dad is a flirt but I trust him." Ianto frowned, "He will always come home to me, that's all that counts."

"So you know he still flirts and stuff" CJ had now noticed the shadow and felt a spike of anger. "You know for sure that Dad isn't just using you as a built in housekeeper while he has a bit on the side?"

Ianto laughed, throwing his head back and CJ looked at him with surprise.

"I have faith in your Dad. He would never do anything that could risk his family" Ianto assured his son, "Your Dad wound die a thousand deaths if he ever lost you kids!"

"Us? Now Tad, what about you!" CJ demanded, "What if he lost you!"

"Never gonna happen" Ianto sniffed, "I'm a keeper, apparently. He even put a ring on it!"

The shadow outside the door considered the conversation and felt uneasy. Were they drifting apart?


	6. Chapter 6

6

CJ was surprised when his father approached him shoving money in his face like a fan.

"Who do I have to kill and will Taddy find out" CJ deadpanned in true Jones style.

"I know you like your weekends to yourself and I know you probably have plans tomorrow night but I was kinda hoping …" Jack shrugged and looked contrite, "You might take the twins to the movies and Maccas for the evening."

"Movie and fast food?" CJ grinned as he eyed the money, enough for Tarn to come as well if he was careful with it.

Jack seemed to sense his hesitation and withdrew his wallet, adding another 20 pound note, "Please? The kids should get to know this Tarn if he's gonna start coming around."

CJ's face lit up and Jack knew he'd played the trump card.

"I was hoping to ask Tad if Tarn could come to dinner one night, so you could meet him and …wow, really?" CJ grinned, "That's enough for all of us to have fun."

Jack frowned and casually added another note to the pile and now CJ's mouth was watering.

"Maybe the arcade before the movie then, to tire them a bit and keep them in their seats" Jack said with a shrug and CJ snatched the money.

As CJ counted it and saw it was more than he would need for two dates he became suspicious, "What are you and Tad gonna do?"

"Hang out. Watch telly. Talk" Jack shrugged and CJ's head flew up at the last word.

"You can't leave him. You can't leave us!" the money fluttered to the floor as CJ advanced on his startled father.

"You hurt him and I'll pound you!" CJ snarled, "You don't get to leave us. You don't hurt my Taddy"

"Easy, easy" Jack pulled his shaking son into a hug as he despaired. "You really think that's what this is? Get the kids out of the way while I break up with Taddy?"

"You can't" came a muffled reply and Jack groaned.

"Oh baby, I don't ever want to leave your Taddy" Jack soothed, "He's my heartbeat, my air. I wouldn't survive a single minute without him."

"Really?" CJ drew back and the tears in his eyes tore at Jack's heart.

"Never. When I die, I'll still drag my bones home for one more kiss!" Jack declared and CJ snorted.

"Dad! You'll never die" he scolded and Jack grinned.

"Exactly!" Jack crowed, "So there will always be another kiss."

"Look, I know I've been a bit distant lately and I need to reconnect with your Tad." Jack hugged CJ tightly once more, "I meant a night that is about us, not you kids. Love you all dearly but I think your Tad deserves some love right now."

CJ smiled into his Dad's big strong chest and sighed as he agreed.


	7. Chapter 7

7

The park had been a wonderful idea and Ianto had enjoyed watching the kids play.

They were feeding the ducks down by the lake as Ianto laid out the picnic he had packed and a shadow fell across the blanket, surprising him.

He looked up, expecting to see his husband but found his son watching him instead. _Same shadow these days._

"Hey sweets, you want to open that ketchup bottle for me?" Ianto smiled and CJ dropped to the grass gracefully _, moves like his father as well._

He helped set everything up and Ianto felt something was brewing so he waited patiently.

"Tad?" _Here is comes_.

"Yes darling." _You can tell me anything_.

"I'm taking the twins to the movies tonight" _Huh?_

Ianto gaped at his son as he processed the comment. "Really?"

"Yeah. Me and Tarn are going to the arcade, movies and maccas with the beasts so you don't have to cook tonight" CJ grinned and Ianto smiled back.

"So, Tarn is … you know. The one?" Ianto asked gently.

"Yep" he popped the P and Ianto glowed with delight.

"Oh CJ, I am happy for you" he assured his son, "I only ever want you to be loved."

"With you and Dad?" CJ huffed, "No fear of that ever being a worry."

"What?" Jack panted as he arrived with a child screaming under each arm, "What have I done now? Argh, beasts look! Taddy has strawberries."

The twins forgot the ducks and both yelled with glee as they saw the food.

You've not done anything!" Ianto laughed as he handed a plate to RJ, "CJ is taking the twins out for a treat later."

The twins yelled some more and threw themselves at CJ as Jack grinned.

"Oh? Quiet night in for the olds, is it?" Jack pretended to be elderly and dottery, "Maybe put the cat out before the hankey-pankey dear!"

Ianto laughed and shook his head, "I was thinking ... Well. You will probably be too tired after all this."

Jack frowned as he saw Ianto already letting go of whatever idea he had come up with, "No, tell me babe."

"Well, I did want to try that new restaurant down by the bay" Ianto looked up hopefully and Jack grinned.

"The "Bayside Rest"?" he asked and Ianto nodded. "The one I have reservations to tonight?"

Ianto's face lit up as he threw himself as his husband, totally forgetting the kids were watching as he kissed him passionately.

"Oh thank you Cariad" he gushed, "I've so wanted an evening out with you. It's been so long since we've had a date."

"I'm sorry tiger" Jack sighed, hugging the squirming Welshman as he enjoyed a quick grope, "I have been a bit boring for you."

"Jack!" he laughed, slapping at the gropey-grabbey hands, "You are never boring. Oh god, I love you so much."

Jack was lost for words as he saw the beautiful man he had married smiling so he did the only thing that seems appropriate.

He rolled them over and passionately kissed his man while the kids hooted from the side-lines.


	8. Chapter 8

8

\

The kids were gone and Ianto had processed the fact that this had been an elaborate, if totally transparent, set up.

He gave his son a soft kiss on the cheek as he left and enjoyed the smile of affection that was returned, and as he closed the door he began to wonder what this was all about.

He wandered into the bedroom as Jack was shrugging into his coat.

"Oh cariad." Ianto sighed, "You look edible!"

Jack preened for his lover and pointed to him, "And you aren't? How am I going to last through dinner in a public place with you in that bloody shirt!"

Ianto waggled his eyebrows and adjusted the red collar of Jack's favourite shirt that seemed to pop against the black tux.

The ride to the restaurant was silent, no need for words when hands were held instead.

Inside, the music was light and the lighting low. Jack held his chair for him and gave him a soft kiss before sliding into his own seat with a grin.

A waiter approached with wine and poured a mouthful for Ianto who looked to his husband with surprise. Jack waved his hand and Ianto tasted the wine. It rolled off his tongue and was sweet as it trickled down his throat. Ianto hummed and nodded so the waiter poured them each a healthy portion, then left the bottle.

"The year you were born" Jack whispered, reaching for Ianto's hand.

"Lots of good things came from that year" he said softly.

"Twpsyn" Ianto snorted but blushed all the same.

"I love you" Jack said simply. "I will always need you."

"Jack."

"And as for wanting you, I could fuck you now on this table if you'd not die from the embarrassment" Jack growled deeply and Ianto felt the blood rush to his nether regions as he glowered at his passionate man.

"Oh Jack. Think you can make it through the meal?" he simpered with his lashes fluttering and Jack licked his lips in a predatory way.

"Only because I know you go longer on a full tummy tiger pants."

The blush was almost as deep as the shirt as Ianto gasped for air and Jack leaned back with a satisfied grin. Stage one was complete.

The food was wonderful and Jack enjoyed feeding Ianto with his fingers, each mouthful finger licking good apparently and as dessert came around Jack couldn't stand it anymore.

"Two chocolate mousse to go!" Jack barked, not taking his eyes off the gorgeous creature blinking slowly though a wine haze, "Hurry!"

Jack bustled Ianto out to the SUV and as they reached the side of the vehicle he pushed Ianto against the door and plundered his mouth while cupping the bulge in the tux. Stage two was in the bag.

Ianto groaned and writhed, pulling at Jack to plaster him tighter against him.

They ground their erections together and zoned out passionately as Ianto looked into Jack's lust filled eyes.

"Not gonna make it" Ianto panted and Jack nodded, keying the door locks.

Jack lifted his husband into the back seat and climbed eagerly after him, slamming the door on the outside world as the desserts fell to the floor.

He tore at Ianto's clothes and snarled animalisticaly as he tried to get to his prize. Ianto laughed and helped until they were both naked enough for skin on skin.

"Oh Cariad" Ianto sighed as Jack showed that he had found the lube, "My Cariad."

Once again, Jack thanked the gods for tinted windows.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Ianto huffed as he tripped down the steps to the backyard.

Damned frost was making everything slippery and he had specifically asked Jack to salt the path last night so he could get to the glasshouse. He was worried about the orchids, intending to add some more straw to their beds as he hurried in the cold afternoon.

It had happened almost overnight. The cold snap blanketing the garden like icing sugar. He had bloody asked … three days in a row he's told Jack it was coming and … whoops.

That was close! Ianto giggled nervously as he regained his footing, a hand to his chest to calm his heartbeat.

He went down hard with the next step. A strangled cry of fear as he lost control.

The concrete path wasn't just cold and slick. It was bloody hard. The back of his head made a resounding crack as he slammed it back, grunting with pain.

He lay in the cold staring up at the blue sky as he wondered what the hell had just happened, then it came back to him. _He fell, like an old woman_.

The cold had seeped into his bones, biting and painful. It felt like he was being immersed in flames. _God, must get up._

With a snort he tried to get up, only to find he was stuck. For some reason he was stuck to the frosted ground and he groaned as he struggled to free himself.

"Taddy!" CJ screamed as he came upon his Tad, laying prone in the frost.

"Hey Bug, help your old man up will you?" Ianto laughed as he reached up a hand, "I'm bloody stuck down here."

"With that amount of blood, I'm not surprised!" CJ huffed, pulling Ianto up to his feet.

The frost made a sound like ripping and Ianto turned to see a large patch of frozen blood on the ground.

"Shit, the hose will be frozen. Go get the kettle" Ianto demanded as he felt the back of his head for a wound.

"Tad" CJ said softly and Ianto shook his head.

"Yeah. You're right, I'll have to boil the big pot to have enough water to wash this way before your father gets home."

"Tad."

"CJ please, just, just do this, OK?" Ianto turned to CJ and he saw fear.

"Oh Sweetie, I'm OK." He assured his son, "I can't even feel a bump."

"Tad, you've been out here nearly two hours. Dad will be home any minute with the minions and I'm telling you right now that I am not buying this!" CJ growled.

"Buying what?" Ianto frowned with confusion.

"You were so still, your eyes staring like that. Like Dad that time the car rolled on him while he was doing the oil change!" CJ was shaking and Ianto reached for him but was slapped away.

"No! Don't cuddle this better! You were dead. I know dead and you were fucking dead!" CJ was shouting as he shook and Ianto looked back at the blood stain with horror.

"Oh my God, do you think so?" he turned back to look at CJ with wide eyes.

"Tad? You really don't know?" he asked softly.

"Of course not." Ianto snorted, "Last time I was dead, your father knew but I never realised until later!"

"Last time?" CJ gaped.

Ianto was addled, not thinking clearly, "Lisa killed me the day she went nuts. If your father hadn't brought me back to life I … shit. CJ!"

"Taddy" this time CJ was the one reaching out, taking his father into his arms. "It's OK."

"Lisa was damaged. Affected by a piece of alien tech and she went crazy. She threw me into the hub pool where I died. Jack couldn't bear it, he kissed me and transferred some of his energy."

"Is that why you don't age?" CJ asked and Ianto considered it.

"I never thought about it. Shit." Ianto went to sit and CJ grabbed him before he could hit the ground.

"Easy Taddy, let's go inside," CJ soothed as he heard the growl of the SUV creeping up the drive.


	10. Chapter 10

10

Jack ushered the twins into their bedrooms with orders to made "Get Well" cards for poor Taddy with his bumped head.

Both kids gleefully rushed off as they loved art.

He walked back to the kitchen where CJ was still holding out a shirt while speaking softly to the shocked Ianto who sat at the table with a blood stained shirt on.

"Hey baby" he said softly as he slid into the chair next to Ianto.

"I fell on the path" Ianto said with wide, Shockey eyes.

"You asked me to salt that. God, I'm sorry honey" Jack sighed.

"I hit my head and there was so much blood" Ianto kept talking as he blinked owlishly.

"Dad. Taddy is trying to tell you that he just died out there!" CJ barked, making them both jump.

Jack gaped at his son who glared back defiantly.

"He was out there on the ground, frozen to the earth with his own blood from his cracked open skull." CJ said slowly into his father's face, "Dead! Eyes glazed over and skin translucent. No pulse or breath when I checked, I go ... Dead!"

"CJ" Ianto said softly but CJ wasn't finished.

"I tried to call you. I was scared and my Taddy was dead out there and I was all alone with him" CJ whined, tears forming, "Then he's talking and laughing like he just slipped and landed on his butt or something!"

"I was scared" CJ fell to his knees and buried his face in Ianto's chest as his Taddy threw his arms around him.

"When you asked why I haven't aged, I didn't have an answer" Ianto rubbed his boy's back and shoulders as he sobbed into his chest, "I guess this answers it now. When your Dad loves me, he shares his life-force. Since he's forever, he has a lot to spare."

"So you'll live forever too?" CJ sniffled, looking up at his Tad.

"I don't know baby" Ianto frowned, "This may have been a fluke, or I'll just age slowly … I just don't know. I won't know until it happens."

"Oh Taddy, I don't want you to leave me" CJ said sadly and Ianto crooned.

"I love you so much, I never want to leave you either, Bug" Ianto sighed.

"I don't understand but I know I don't care as long as it works" Jack smiled, thanking Rose for this new development.

He rose from the table and went outside, slipping several times before reaching the bloodstained ground.

Dead. Yep, too much blood loss to be just a wee bump on the head.

Jack felt his knees go weak as it hit him.

Ianto died today and he wasn't here for him.

Ianto who has held him so many times, waiting, loving, welcoming him back.

He had died alone.


	11. Chapter 11

11

Ianto sat next to Jack as he tried to fold the paper he had been reading.

"Cariad, we have to talk" Ianto said softly.

"Hey" Jack reached for a hand _. A lovely slim yet masculine hand_.

"Jack" Ianto tried to get his attention. "I need to ask something."

Jack was stroking the back of the hand that was trapped in his. _Soft, pale and warm._

"Jack. The reason I had to leave the field was because of CJ, the time in the hub was cut back after he was old enough to come with me and then the twins came. I found myself a full-time house husband" Ianto frowned as Jack raised his hand and kissed it softly.

"Are you listening to me?"

"I love your voice. The Welsh lit, the deep booming laugh and I really love that hum when you snuggle in after a brain melting orgasm" Jack said as he licked the hand now.

"Jack?" Ianto frowned. This was not going the way he wanted it to.

"I love this hand. This hand has held my heart"

"Jack. Jesus, I'm asking to come back to work before I go insane alone in this house!" Ianto growled and Jack's head shot up.

"Huh?"

"Cariad, the twins are at school during the day. How many times can I vacuum the house in a week? How many times can I consider repainting the lounge?" Ianto asked and Jack looked around the lounge with confusion.

"But you did it after Christmas. I love this colour on the walls" Jack whined.

"Jack. I'm bored. If I am immortal or ... well, whatever this is then there is no reason to believe that my being at work might leave the children without parents." Ianto rationalised, "Just hub work. I'm not asking for field work but, god, I'm fucking bored. If this is real then I need to find something to occupy me. What about when the children leave home?"

"Leave? What do you mean? We will always have our kids!" Jack frowned.

"I am not ageing. When they are gone with their own families, where will I be?" Ianto asked.

"Barefoot and pregnant?" Jack grinned and then his brain caught up to his mouth and he grimaced at the glare pointed in his direction.

"I want my life back!" Ianto demanded. "I want …"

Ianto narrowed his eyes and realised he was going about this all wrong.

"I want office sex!" Ianto said and Jack stopped breathing.

"I want quickies in the archives. I want to catch a weevil and fuck like mad dogs in the back seat of the SUV before Owen catches us!" Ianto leaned forward as Jack took a shuddering breath.

"I want naked hide-n-seek!" Ianto said and watched as Jack's brain re-engaged.

"Oh baby. Why didn't you say?" Jack simpered as he leaned in for a kiss.

"I want us to always be us, together and happy" Ianto smiled as he knew he had won.

"Baby, with you I will always be happy."


	12. Chapter 12

Ianto was horrified. Not, eye-wide mouth open kind of horrified, no! The hand over mouth to stifle the scream bubbling from your belly, kind of horrified.

His archives!

His lovely, wonderful archives were such a mess that it would take him weeks … oh god. Was that a Hellaxion sonic ray in amongst the Terattezziat mind balls? Make that months.

Ianto walked slowly, mentally cataloguing the misdemeanours and blatant stupidities. He was slowly calming down, aware that the time he was going to spend down here would not only be useful but maybe a little cathartic.

Jack watched via the CCTV feed and grinned as the hard work he had spent the day before was starting to bear fruit. He knew that any minute his husband was going to come storming up to his office full of anger and haughty outrage, he could hardly wait.

Soon the clopping announced the arrival of the heated Welshman who proceeded to spew a long list of changes that would need to be implemented as he strode about the office swinging his arms wide and then placing them on hips for emphasis.

Then he paused and narrowed his eyes.

"Are you even listening to me Cariad?" he asked.

"Yes Darling, I'm so sorry." Jack sighed dramatically, "It's just been so hard without you. It's been hard to go down there without you to greet me, so cold and uninviting."

Jack tried for just the right pout and knew he's nailed it when Ianto's face lit up.

"Really?" he asked softly, walking around the desk to lean against it in such a way that his lovely package was face level and it wasn't even Christmas.

"I miss you sometimes, during the day" Jack admitted with a shrug and Ianto smiled.

"Oh, Jack" he slid into his lap, "I've missed you as well. I keep going to tell you things and then remember you're too busy for my random thoughts."

"Ianto, sweets. My little Tiger Pants" Jack breathed, "I always want to hear your thoughts."

"Oh Jack"

Score!

Jack pouted and was rewarded with a soft kiss that quickly dissolved into a bit of "taste testing".

Ianto's hair was so soft under Jack's fingers and he sighed as those lips reminded him why he spent so much time examining them when Ianto ate.

"Oi! Put him down Harkness, he's only just got here and I don't want him too tired to help me down in the med-bay!" Owen snarked as he limped into the office.

"Med-bay?" Ianto's head popped up so quickly that Jack nearly had his jaw broken.

"Shit Owen!" Jack groused, "You bloody cock-block!"

"Jack, we all know your Cock is not blocked, it goes off at the smell of someone's undies!" Owen retuned fire and Ianto sniggered.

"I'll be down in a few minutes Dr Death!" Ianto deadpanned and Owen snorted as he imperiously swung back out of the office.

"Few minutes?" Jack whined.

"Don't worry Cariad, I'll hum "I'll Always Love You" yeah?" Ianto offered as he knelt again and Jack sighed as his eyes rolled back.

Oh, this work thing was gonna work fine!

Oh, wow, fiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnne.


	13. Chapter 13

CJ was in his room and Ianto didn't think twice as he wandered in with the laundry.

He expected to find a surly teenage sulking on his bed but instead found a weepy child clutching his pillow.

"Oh, darling," he dropped the carefully folded clothes into a heap and rushed to comfort his first born.

CJ slumped into his chest as he sobbed, his arms clutching at Ianto.

"I think we broke up" he wailed as Ianto said soothing things.

It transpired that Tarn wanted CJ to go on a weekend camping trip with his family but wanted XJ to just be a "mate" in a separate tent. CJ had felt slighted and told him so which turned into a typical teenage tantrum on both sides as Tarn called him a Drama Queen like his father while CJ said Tarn should look on his own mirror, his homophobic dad!

They had stormed off in opposite directions and now CJ felt terrible.

"What if we all go?" Ianto suggested.

"Our family can camp next to theirs and then you can both feel like you have back-up." Ianto frowned, "I'd love to see your father deal with any negative comments about you and Tarn."

"Dad will be on call, he's always bloody on call" CJ groused and Jack's SUV roared up the driveway.

"Let's ask!" Ianto rose and CJ followed with a hopeful smile.

Jack loved the idea. Declaring it wonderful and immediately calling Owen to ensure he had the weekend off.

"We'll take off Friday afternoon and set up camp before nightfall," Jack enthused, "Oh hon, we can use that thingy in the archives I've wanted to try out!"

"No sex toys Dadda!" CJ deadpanned and jack froze for a moment before braying with laughter.

"A tent" Ianto explained with his own mirth contained, "It comes as a small ball but becomes a four roomed building."

"How do we explain that?" CJ looked to his Taddy as his father continued to squeal with glee.

"A prototype for the company Daddy works for" Ianto shrugged and CJ nodded.

"A what?" SJ wandered into the room with his shadow following as she tugged at her plait.

"Taddy?" she asked, totally ignoring the others in the room because they are stupid, "Can I cut my hair off?"

"Huh?" Jack grunted as je stared at his princess.

"What do you want it to look like honey?" Ianto squatted as he reasoned with her.

"I want it flappy like Aunty Toshy's" She explained.

"But her hair is black, yours is brown" Ianto pointed out, "It might not look the same."

She frowned as she thought about it, then looked at her Daddy and saw his horror.

"Don't you want me to cut it Daddy?" she asked.

"I love your hair. So wavy and soft, just like Taddy's when it grows a bit" Jack pouted.

"Then it's time he grew his for you!" she quipped, "I want swishy stuff!"

"Yan?"

"Hows about we try it on the computer so you can see what you will look like before we do it, yeah?" Ianto knew she would hate it and patted his husband's butt playfully as they tried the Photoshop software.

Jack remained in the same spot looking at CJ who looked just as shocked.

"So, going Camping?"

"Yes Dad. Not going camp!"


	14. Chapter 14

The SUV dwarfed the Willis family's vehicle and they looked on with awe as Jack flew from the driver's door with his usual flourish.

"You must be Tarn's parents, good looking boy needs good looking parents!" Jack said smoothly as he bent to kiss the mother's hand.

"Mildred" she preened and Jack's eyes widened.

"What a lovely old fashioned name, I'm Jack!" Jack grinned.

"I'm Walton!" said the father gruffly and then he gaped as his hand got kissed before CJ could stop him.

Dad!" CJ barked and Jack winked.

"Gotta keep them guessing, eh Walt?"

Walton cleared his throat and looked past him to see Ianto calmly unloading the twins. He frowned, then looked at the twins approaching.

"So these are your little brother and sister then!" he said to CJ who grinned and turned to usher them over.

"SJ and RJ, this is Tarn's Mum and Dad," he said softly.

SJ frowned and looked at the dog that had wandered over, "Bloody ugly dog!"

"SJ!" CJ was horrified as the Airedale stared at the child who was eye level.

"He's not ugly," RJ argued with her twin, "He's lovely. He looks like a sheepie after its's fur starts to grow back when it was shorn!"

"Sheep don't have fur ya plonker!" SJ growled, then yelped as Jack thwacked him lightly in the ear.

"Sorry about that, he's been spending a lot of time with my friend who is very acidic. It seems to be rubbing off" He glared at SJ who defiantly glared back.

RJ petted the dog and made little soothing noises, "Don't listen to doo-doo head. He's just jealous because he looks like his hair has been eaten by a sheepie."

"Oi! It's called "Bedhead" if you ever learned to read the can!" SJ snarked then ducked and bobbed up triumphantly to poke his tongue at his father after the rush if air told him Jack's hand had passed over.

"SJ! Come help me please" Ianto said calmly without looking up from the bag he was rifling through and SJ pivoted and ran to the SUV.

Ianto handed him a silver ball and told him to give it to Daddy so he excitedly gave it to Jack and watched with clenched hands as Jack paced out the area.

Deciding, he squatted and pressed a series of buttons and then strode quickly over to the SUV.

SJ ran to get the ball and Jack yelled a warning as the ball engaged.

SJ was thrown back and Ianto caught him deftly as the tent/house appeared.

Tarn's family gaped at the wondrous tent. Ianto was walking their luggage in and RJ was struggling with some bedding. As they walked around the perimeter, they saw it was a size of their entire pitching space.

They were ushered in by a beaming Jack who was giving them the "Company prototype" spiel and Ianto looked up as they got to the bedroom the men would be using. He had employed the bed-cube, their king sized bed already made as he finished the pillows.

"Hello there." He smiled softly, "Sorry I didn't say hi earlier but you have to keep moving with these kids or they will mow you down. I'm CJ's Tad, Ianto."

He offered his hand and Walton stared at it, "I thought he was the father."

"Er"

"Dad and Tad are a same sex couple Sir." CJ jumped in, "Us kids are theirs biologically."

"How's that then?" Walton asked as he finally accepted the hand about to be withdrawn.

"Gene splicing" Jack barked, "Who wants to see the BBQ!"


	15. Chapter 15

15

The drive home was silent.

Jack wasn't sure who was angrier, Ianto or CJ.

CJ had his arms folded as he glared out the window and Ianto's face showed the sorrow of his actions.

It had been a lovely trip, everyone had been getting along famously. Then Ianto goes and puts his foot in it.

Well, it was RJ who started it, talking about the movies. When Tarn's parents had realised CJ and Tarn had gone together they commented how nice it was for friends to share good times like that. The RJ had said innocently, "But they are boyfriends. Of course they would date."

The outrage of the father was met by the impenetrable wall of Ianto Harkness-Jones who not only bore down on the man like he had just run over their dog but proceeded to give him a good talking to about equality in the modern age.

Jack had tried several times to derail the temper tantrum but Ianto had his sights firmly set on the hapless bigot who learned the hard way that a "Nancy boy" can be a dangerous thing.

His challenging Ianto to a duel was perhaps a bit stupid, but not ducking when Ianto told him he was about to punch him was just pure insanity.

Now we have silence.

Tarn was in tears as they drove away, his mother and father fighting loudly and bitterly.

Jack took another look at his husband and saw a lip wobble.

The SUV pulled over and Jack slammed it into park as he fought with his seatbelt. Ianto was in his arms within moments and he sobbed softly as Jack soothed him.

"All I could hear was me Da" Ianto hiccupped and Jack rubbed his back soothingly.

"I never wanted to be like him" Ianto rubbed his face on Jack's chest, "I never wanted to throw my baby to the wolves and then I show that I am the biggest wolf in sheep's clothing of them all!"

"Wow" Jack said softly, "That's a lot of metaphors all at once baby."

"Did you see that poor boy's face" Ianto rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands, "The bastard didn't even know him, did he? How can you not know your son's heart? I thought it was a father's most important job to make sure their child grows up happy."

"Oh baby" Jack soothed some more.

"Oh CJ" Ianto looked between the seats with shame, "I'm so sorry baby. I'm such a twat and you have every right to hate me!"

"I don't hate you Tad" CJ sighed with a perfect eye roll, "I hate that man. Tarn told me he was a prick but I … sorry minions. I said a bad word."

"That man was horrible!" RJ said as she clutched her plush pony to her chest.

"He'll be sorry" SJ said softly as he played with his miniature cars.

"SJ" Ianto felt fingers of dread clutching at his balls. "What did you do?"

"Nothing!" he pouted back but Ianto saw the eyes slide to RJ in silent warning.

"Baby girl?" Ianto smiled and she smiled back.

"SJ let his tyres down with a stick" she covered her mouth with the plush pony and giggled.

"Oh God" Ianto groaned as Jack laughed.

"Jesus Jack, she's taking after you more each day!"


	16. Chapter 16

16

Ianto opened the front door and dropped the toilet brush with horror.

Tarn was crying on the doorstep and an open cut on his cheek was not the only injury.

Ianto gathered him into his arms and ushered him inside. Jack was sitting on the sofa trying to work out a piece of tat and looked up with surprise as Ianto entered with Tarn.

He rose and looked at the boy, then at his husband's face of thunder.

"His father" was all Ianto said.

All Jack needed to hear.

The sound of the SUV peeling out of the driveway had CJ searching for his Tad. Finding Tarn sobbing in his Tad's arms was not what he expected and he fought his own tears as he took his Tad's place.

Ianto came back with two steaming mugs of tea and Tarn sniffled as he took his, snuggling back against CJ whose Harkness anger had started to kick in.

CJ held his boyfriend and rubbed his shoulders as he glared at his Tad. Ianto took that to mean he was being blamed and rose to leave the room with a soft grimace.

"Taddy Bum?" CJ's voice sounded so fragile that it broke Ianto's heart.

"Yes Bug?" he said softly, turning back to see a lip wobble.

"Please don't leave" Tarn pleaded and Ianto saw fear in the look.

"Your father can't get you here darling" he soothed, "CJs Dad has gone to tell him so."

Ianto gave his son a glance and saw it again. Anger, raw and fierce.

"I want to pound him into the dust" CJ hissed as he clung to his friend.

"I know baby." Ianto smiled softly, "Daddy might."

RJ and SJ were at school and Ianto was thankful as he collected the first aid kit and checked the boy over. The bruises were vivid and CJ growled softly more than once when Ianto made Tarn wince.

A couple of butterfly stitches closed the cut above his eyebrow and Ianto blew on it and gave a soft kiss before he remembered it wasn't his child.

He drew back with a blush to apologise and saw Tarn's eyes closed and a soft smile as he accepted it.

Ianto left the two boys cuddling on the sofa after he had thrown a blanket over them and went to CJ's room.

He stood in the doorway for a long time staring at the bed. _16, almost 17_.

Ianto sighed and rubbed his face.

He went to the SJ's room and pulled out the trundler bed. After a few minutes of cursing under his breath he navigated it into CJ's room and soon had a second bed made up.

He knew he might find them together the next morning but he wasn't going to encourage it.

The roar of the SUV heralded his husband's return and Ianto went to the garage to gauge the atmosphere.

Jack was solemn and blood was on his cuffs.

"I couldn't help it" Jack sighed as he stepped into Ianto's calming arms, "I thumped the bastard!"

"Oh Cariad" Ianto soothed, "Good job."

Jack snorted and drew back for a kiss and Ianto pushed him back against the SUV. Soon they were necking and hands had opened clothes.

"Oh Ianto," Jack whined, "My love"

"My Jack" Ianto returned as he found the little captain, "My hero."

Jack flopped back over the hood of the SUV and sighed as Ianto dropped to his knees and showed him just how much he loved his Captain. Big and little.


	17. Chapter 17

17

Ianto was right.

He entered the bedroom and found two loose limbed teenagers in the bed. He was pleased to note the PJs that they went to bed in were still firmly in place.

He moved quietly around the room, laying out two sets of clothes and placing the spare toothbrush in CJ's ensuite.

By the time the boys woke, the smell of bacon was calling.

Tarn stood with an open gape at the carefully made trundler bed and the two sets of clothes.

"Taddy's been in already" CJ said absently as he chose which set he wanted, "left ya a purple toothbrush so we can tell yours apart from my orange one."

Tarn walked incredulously into the ensuite and found another towel, face cloth and … purple toothbrush.

CJ was trying to hurry him and he quickly dressed in CJ's other set of clothes. He followed his boyfriend into the kitchen and found a place set for him at the table.

He slid into the chair and a plate appeared along with a soft pat on his shoulder from CJ's Taddy.

Then came a glass of orange juice with bits floating in it. He lifted it up and looked at CJ who was humming as he took a sip of his own juice. He took a tentative sip.

Oh. My. God!

The juice was freshly squeezed, proven as he watched Ianto squeeze more for Jack who was shuffling into the room with a huge yawn splitting his face.

"Hey Baby" he crooned, taking Ianto in his arms and giving him a soft kiss.

"Good morning Cariad" Ianto said softly, taking another quick kiss before handing over the juice.

"Nectar, so sweet!" Jack drama queened with fluttering eyelashes as he plonked at the head of the table.

"Hello sleepy heads!" he grinned, then looked at the two chairs opposite the boys. "Where are the beasts?"

"School Cariad." Ianto snorted, "It's after ten. The retrieval went late."

"Yeah. Bloody Owen was thrashed again!" Jack yawned again and stretched his arms over his head.

As Ianto placed the plate of bacon and eggs down Jack pounced.

With a soft laugh Ianto struggled in his husband's arms and wound up in his lap.

"Stop it Twpsyn!" Ianto scolded and Jack laughed softly, then let him up.

Tarn took a mouthful of bacon and hummed softly. _Honey cured. Yum_.

CJ made a small sound and pouted, then grinned as fresh toast appeared.

"Your father delayed me darling" Ianto touched CJ's shoulder and then turned back to the stove.

Tarn took a bite of scrambled egg and it was so fluffy that it seemed to melt in his mouth _. Wow._

Ianto then sat with his own meal and giggled as his husband slid a piece of bacon onto his plate.

"You don't eat enough babe" Jack scolded and Ianto smiled.

"I don't need as much as you. Hard work being a macho man" Ianto scoffed.

Jack leapt up and sang "Macho man" while dancing around the kitchen. CJ clapped and cheered while Ianto calmly ate his food like the telly was on.

Tarn felt the shock slowly wearing off as he watched them play.

He shook himself out of his fugue and took another bite of breakfast withholding the comment that he never got breakfast at home.


	18. Chapter 18

18

Tarn's father had called the police and they stood on the doorstep trying to get into the house.

Ianto folded his arms and snorted loudly before politely telling them to bugger off.

The older one frowned as he tried to place where he had seen this man before. The SUV roaring up the driveway told him and he felt his balls shrivel as Captain Jack Harkness-Jones flew from the driver's seat with a look of thunder.

"What the hell is going on here!" he demanded as he came up to the men.

"Sir, this is a private matter between us and Mr Harkness-Jones!" the younger officer boomed as his partner gaped at the leader of torchwood in all his coated glory.

"Hello Mungo!" Jack looked straight at him and he gave a soft whimper of response as he tried to catch the young man's cuff.

"Well now!" Jack focused on the younger officer, "Which Harkness-Jones do you want? Me or my husband?"

The young officer stared and then slowly turned to look at his partner as he mouthed "Mungo?"

"This about the prick I thumped yesterday?" Jack grinned.

The young officer bristled and looked at his partner for back-up only to find him … backing up.

"Torchwood" Jack barked in the young officer's face. "If Lizzie has a problem with me thwacking one of her subjects that has beaten his own child then she would say so."

Jack frowned and turned at Ianto, "Babe? We talked to Lizzie lately?"

"Not since we said thank you for the christening invite Cariad" Ianto smiled back.

"Ah, which one again?" Jack frowned.

"Charlotte." Ianto sighed with an eye roll, "Wills and Katie's wee bub."

"Ah! Little English rose" Jack grinned and stepped inside, the Heddlu already dismissed.

"Sorry that you've had a wasted visit officers," Ianto said politely as he stepped back inside, "But the man is lucky we didn't disappear him."

"Sir, did you realise …"

"Shut it" the older officer growled and pulled his partner back to their car.

"You bloody fool!" he shouted once they were safely inside the vehicle, "When he says disappeared, he means disappeared. Like POOF"

He made a motion with his hands to demonstrate an exploding … something, then sighed.

"That one who answered the door was Ianto Harkness-Jones. Archivist and second on command of Torchwood. God, knew I'd seen him somewhere before. The one who briefly considered squashing you like a bug is Captain Jack Harkness-Jones. Leader of Torchwood and saviour of the fucking universe."

The young officer looked back at the house with wonder.

"Those spooky doos we were warned about?" the older man prodded, "That's who handles them. When he says Lizzie … he means her Majesty ya Muppet!"

The young officer swore softly and looked back with wonder as they drew away.


	19. Chapter 19

19

Tarn heard a scream and he flew from the bed, running down the hallway.

The only light visible in the dark hallway was from the kitchen and he rushed in there, wondering if he should have woken CJ.

Jack had Ianto against the counter and Tarn slammed into him with a snarl, pushing himself between the two men.

"Leave him alone" he snarled at Jack who gasped with shock.

Ianto burst out laughing and threw his arms around the confused teen, hugging from behind.

"See?" Ianto crowed, "You're not the only hero here Sir!"

"Most unusual deployment of a cock-block" Jack grinned.

Tarn stood with a frown as he realised they hadn't been fighting. Ianto seemed to know and laughed more softly as he continued to hold him. _Felt quite nice._

"He was just tickling me Sweets" Ianto whispered, rocking him gently.

"You thought … ah." Jack's lightbulb came on. "No. I would never hurt my husband. He's my heart. To hurt him is to hurt myself."

Tarn nodded slowly as he ruminated. 

"I take it your Dad is a bit old fashioned" Ianto said delicately.

"That's like saying the Captain is a wee bit macho" Tarn deadpanned and Jack howled with laughter.

CJ wandered in and saw his boyfriend in his Tad's arms and rushed over.

"Is everything OK?" he reached for Tarn who stepped forward into another Harkness-Jones hug.

Ianto opened his recently vacated arms and Jack rushed into them with a growl. "Mine"

"Stop that!" Ianto scolded, "Share!"

"Never!" Jack pretended to chew in Ianto's neck as he giggled and slapped.

"Ya great Twpsyn!" Ianto growled.

"So pretty when you smile" Jack sighed as he brought their foreheads together.

"Twpsyn" Ianto whispered.

CJ pulled Tarn back into the bedroom and drew him back into the bed.

"Your dads are … "

"Nuts? Funny? Deranged?" CJ muttered and snuggled deeper under the covers "Twisted, weird, crafty, dangerous, and soppy."

CJ yawned as he thought about more words to describe them and Tarn laughed as he hugged him tight.

"Nah" he whispered as sleep came knocking, "wicked."


	20. Chapter 20

20

Tarn found Ianto out in the backyard. He was standing with his hands on his hips as he glared at the glasshouse.

"Is everything OK Mr HJ?" Tarn asked.

"Ianto" Ianto said absently as he took a few steps and frowned again.

"Sorry?" Tarn frowned.

"My name is Ianto, sweetie" Ianto muttered as he squatted and looked for another angle.

"What are you doing Ianto?" Tarn said after the silent sqwueeing was finished.

"This glasshouse of stuffed" Ianto huffed, "I'm looking at the site for a demolition and rebuild."

"Yeah?" Tarn's eyes lit up and Ianto huffed.

"Tools over there" Ianto waved a hand and cocked his head.

"I'd rather not have broken glass everywhere but if you and CJ want to tear it down … carefully … then you can go for it!" Ianto stood and walked back inside as Tarn now looked speculatively at the old glass ruin.

CJ walked into the main room where his Tad was reading a book.

"Taddy? You seen Tarn?" he tapped Ianto's knee and Ianto looked up with a smile.

"Out back bug" Ianto muttered, turning a page and settling back into the sofa cushions.

CJ walked out back and found Tarn swinging of the framework of the glasshouse with snarls and growls of rage.

"Tarnish?" CJ gaped.

"Fucking bastard piece of shit" Tarn was crying, big fat tears as he took a few minutes to bash at the frame with an axe Ianto had provided along with a cool hammer.

Tarn dropped the axe and sniffed.

CJ saw the glass carefully leaning against the side of the house then turned back to watch his boyfriend attack the wooden framework again.

This time he screamed, roars of rage as he slammed the hammer into the wood, again and again.

Tarn dropped the hammer and fell to his knees as he sobbed and CJ took him into a hug.

"Oh my Tarnished love" he whispered, kissing his boyfriend in open defiance of the "Not touchies" rule his father had imposed.

Ianto watched from the kitchen window and huffed with satisfaction as he watched Tarn's tears taper off and he snuggled with CJ who said something softly that made him laugh.

Ianto went back to his book.


	21. Chapter 21

21

The new foundations had been laid and despite Ianto's request that the concrete be left alone, the twins had each scrawled their names in it and sunk a palm print as they pretended they were on the Hollywood walk of fame.

At first CJ has scolded them but when he saw what Tarn had done he could only grin.

'Tarn Luvs CJ' had been written with a love heart around it and CJ sighed with pleasure.

Ianto walked down to see what the twins were giggling about and everyone froze when he cleared his throat.

SJ had one foot in the concrete as he reached deeper in to draw and RJ had one ponytail dripping.

CJ and Tarn were softly kissing and they eyes rolled around to find Ianto standing stock still with the potato peelings for the compost in a bowl slowly dribbling onto the ground.

"Um, shit!" CJ looked at what the twins were doing and grabbed for SJ who roared and ran.

Across the concrete.

Ianto yelled with horror as concrete flew from the stomping gumboots and Tarn ran to grab him on the other side of the concrete pad.

RJ finally noticed the ponytail and started to howl.

"Get inside, god damn it!" He roared and all of them raced inside, seeing the temper in Ianto's face.

The twins were soon in the bath with Ianto furiously scrubbing at RJ's hair.

CJ sat on the sofa waiting morosely for the chewing out he knew was still coming.

Tarn was terrified. He had never seen Ianto so steaming mad and he sat primly on the edge of the sofa waiting with his hands clasped together to hide his shaking.

The SUV roared home and Jack thumped though the house.

Yelling happened in the bathroom and then a wail. Then growling and a slammed door.

Jack stalked into the room and Tarn felt the air leave as Jack stole the space with his anger.

"CJ" Jack said deeply in a growl, "Who was watching the twins?"

"Me Daddy" CJ said softly, looking down at his lap.

"Who let the twins make a hell of a mess?" he asked and again CJ answered with a sigh.

"And whose fault it is your sister is losing at least four inches of her hair due to concrete burn?" Jack huffed and CJ looked up with horror.

"No, not her hair" CJ ran to see for himself and a howl was heard from the bathroom as he witnessed Ianto hacking at the ruined hair.

"Tarn" Jack said softly. "You OK?"

Tarn was shaking, he looked up and tried to smile.

"We don't hit in this house" Jack sat next to him, "No matter what happens, we don't hit each other, OK?"

Tarn nodded and hiccupped.

Jack pulled him onto a hug and soothed him with a gentle hug as he rubbed his back.

Tarn buried his face in the Captain's warm chest and wept.

"It's OK little one, its OK son" Jack soothed, disappointed in this result from the children's antics most of all.


	22. Chapter 22

22

CJ and Tarn had headed into town to get a few things, Jack having provided them with some money for Tarn's re-kit.

Several outfits later, they were hungry and found a café to eat in.

Tarn took a sip of his coffee and pulled a face as CJ snorted through his milkshake.

"I told you not to get that!" he said with a smile, "Once you get used to Tad's brew all other coffee pales in comparison"

"Man, you were right." Tarn sighed, pushing the cup away.

"We need anything else?" CJ pointed at the bags with his fork and Tarn saw the Captain in his smile.

"CJ?" he said softly.

"Mmm?" CJ took a moment to frown, transforming into Ianto.

"CayJay?" Tarn smiled, "I love you."

CJ's smile filled the whole Café with warmth as he reached for his boyfriend's hand.

"I love you too, Tarnish!" he whispered.

Tarn and CJ came home from their day in town to find a building had been erected over the concrete pad.

CJ hurried forward to look at the flat-pack building that had appeared and found large French windows looking out over the garden. It was a large room with a large double bed in it and as CJ stepped inside he recognised the quilt on it as his.

"Taddy?" CJ asked as he watched Ianto close the drawers he had just finished filling with clothes.

"The forecast is fine for the week so the closed in walkway between this and the house can wait until the weekend but you can move in now!" Ianto smiled as he watched CJ gape.

"Mine?" CJ asked.

"Yours. Well, both of yours" Ianto shrugged.

"Really?" Tarn gushed and Ianto smiled.

"I know you two are getting close, closer than I would like at your age but I guess I'm old fashioned as Jack keeps telling me" Ianto snorted, "But the rule stands. Not under my roof."

"You mean …" CJ reached for Tarn's hand.

"I know you two are …. Er dabbling." Ianto grimaced.

"Taddy, we agreed to wait until were both …?"

"It's OK darling." Ianto smiled. "Just be safe and kind with each other, that's all I ask."

"Wow" Tarn sat on the bed and looked around.

"I know you will both take things slow and I trust you both to respect the rules of my house so … well. Happy birthday Bug" Ianto smiled, "I get the feeling 17 is going to be an interesting age for you."

"Oh wow Tad." CJ sighed as he hugged him.

Tarn was still in shock as he saw his own meagre things in the room.

He looked down at the floor and saw the love heart declaring their love that he had drawn in the concrete, at the foot of the bed.

This was their first home.


	23. Chapter 23

23

Ianto sat across the table from CJ and Tarn as they eyeballed him.

"But you've not even had your 17th birthday yet" he said softly.

"Only a month away!" CJ shot back.

"CJ…"

"No Tad. We've thought about this, long and hard." CJ leaned back and Ianto saw Jack in his fatalistic glare. "The 'No Touchie' rule was put in place so we didn't do anything we might regret. We have honoured that pact."

Ianto smothered a huff of amusement behind his hand as a cough and Tarn stood to get him a drink of water but he waved his hand for them to continue.

"We want to do this," CJ took Tarn's hand, "With or without your blessing."

"You might not need our blessing but at your age you will need our support!" Ianto's eyes narrowed as the real arguing began.

"Daddy will give it!" CJ was sure of it, "He understands my heart more than you could!"

Ianto winced at the barb and looked away. CJ suddenly realised what he had said and opened his mouth to apologise but Ianto was already rising from the table.

"As you say" he muttered, "Your father will get the final word. I will speak to him for you but I don't think it will be that easy. What about Tarn's family?"

"I'm emancipated!" Tarn protested, not realising the hurt CJ just caused, "The Captain showed me the paperwork. I don't need their permission or approval!"

"Tarn, please" Ianto turned to face him with tears forming from the barb he had suffered and CJ looked at his hands with regret. "Just give it a wee while longer. You're so young."

"But …"

"Tarn. My husband needs a moment" said Jack from the doorway. "Hon? You OK?"

"Yeah" Ianto's eyes flickered at CJ and then he looked at his feet, "Just tired Cariad."

"What have I missed here?" Jack entered the kitchen and slid into his chair, noting the clasped hands on the table.

"We want to get married!" CJ declared with a big grin.

Jack gaped, then turned to face his husband.

"Did you hear that?" he spluttered.

"Yes Sir" Ianto growled and Jack heard the warning in the title, "Several times."

"Ianto?" Jack looked at Ianto and stood, walking over to look closely at his face. "What's upset you?"

"Just the same old shit" Ianto muttered, turning to start some dishes in the sink.

Jack knew he was not getting any more information there and turned to look at the boys. He walked over to the table and frowned down at them both.

"Let us think about it and … like Taddy said, give it a wee bit more time."

CJ dragged Tarn back to their room where he pulled him onto the bed.

"Is your Tad OK?" Tarn asked as he settled against CJ's chest.

"Yeah. I said something hurtful, something I used to say to hurt him and it came out before I could stop it." CJ admitted shamefully.

"Really? You must have gone through a real shit patch" Tarn said as he enjoyed the cuddle

"Oh boy, Tarn you have no idea how far I went to cock things up between us before the twins came along."


	24. Chapter 24

Chap 24

What do you mean? Tarn asked gently, "How did you cock up?"

"Oh God, if I tell you, you'll think less of me" CJ grumbled.

 _I don't think Tad thinks much about anything that's important to me! If I didn't have you I'd probably be locked in the cellar or forgotten on the bus or something"_

CJ sighed, "I said that to my Taddy that he didn't think of me as important when we were having a go at Taddy. I must have been about … ah ten, I think."

"We?"

"Yeah, me and Dad formed an offensive line" CJ snorted, "Like really offensive!"

"I accused him of wanting to lock me in the cellar"

"You can't tell me what to do, you don't have the right" CJ snorted "That was another favourite, as well as "You're not my Dad!" which always hurt."

"CJ!" Tarn said softly as he stroked his hair.

"I was so horrible and Taddy just stood there, his heart bleeding everywhere and I saw the blood so I went for the kill."

" _Dad told me not to listen to you. He said you were full of hot air because your own parents didn't care about you!"_

"I told him his own parents didn't want him and he was worthless" CJ was sniffing now as he thought of Ianto's face.

His Taddy's pain.

" _Your dad hit you and your Mum went mental and wound up in Providence Park, yeah?"_

"I said Grandma Jones went to Provy Park and she was nuts" he muttered, "Dad actually said she had a wee breakdown because of depression."

" _Right! Yeah! Mental! Like you're scared you might be one day! Good thing we have Flat Holm because you will fit in with all the other nut cases there!"_

"I said we should put him away as well." CJ sighed.

"Oh wow, you really said that to him, right to his face?"

"Shouted it I think" CJ sniffed, "Poor Taddy seemed to wilt as he reached for a chair. He was shaking like a leaf."

"So what did you do?"

" _Dad said that when you came back through the rift he nearly left you there, knew you were there for weeks before he went and claimed you off UNIT because he knew you were going to be damaged like all Rift survivors are!" CJ spoke softly now, his face close to Ianto's as he savoured his Tad's paling face at the lies CJ poured syrupy sweet into his ear._

"I told him Dad almost didn't bring him home after he came back."

"What do you mean, when he came back?" Tarn's hand had stopped petting and CJ snuffled.

"Taddy got taken away, like kidnapped. UNIT are a government force that sort of got him back. Dad didn't get him back because he didn't know they had rescued him but I knew that would hurt and I used it" CJ said slowly, trying to remember the cover story.

"CJ? What aren't you telling me?"

CJ sighed and held him tighter.

"Tad and Dad work for Torchwood. They're alien hunters, OK?" CJ finally gave some truth and Tarn became as still as a rock.

"Aliens" he whispered, his eyes wide with terror.

"Yeah, you know ... saving the world and stuff." CJ sighed, "The rift is a supernatural anomalies and UNIT are bastards, all you really need to remember."

Tarn knew his eyes must be huge as he lay on the bed and his mind was in turmoil.

"Tarn?" Ianto spoke softly from the doorway, "You OK?"

"Um…." Tran's eyes rolled to settle on the Torchwood Agent who smiled softly.

"Its OK Tarn, you're safe here" Ianto said softly, "We have known from the moment we saw you that you were special."

CJ raised his head in confusion.

"My husband is from the 51st Century and I am a rift survivor that came back with altered DNA" Ianto said calmly as Tarn stared.

"Taddy?" CJ asked as his Tad spewed their family secrets.

"Oh, and I gave birth to our children too" Ianto tilted his head and smiled.

"Tarn, don't be afraid." Ianto said softly, "Your Tertardian heritage does not make you any less human, same as my husband's futuristic DNA doesn't make him any less a dork sometimes" Ianto huffed with fake annoyance.

"My great grandmother was from a place called Tertardia. A planet far away and she looked human but you can see in the photos that her eyes were …different" Tarn frowned.

"Yeah, more egg shaped and a lovely shade of green, just like yours and your mother's" Ianto touched his cheek.

"You and the Captain have known all along that I'm a freak?"

"No!" Ianto and CJ both yelled together.

"Family!" Ianto said firmly, "You are family now and I understand your mating imperative but CJ must wait another year before you can breed." Ianto still held his cheek and Tarn was transfixed.

"In one year I will let you marry and bond" Ianto smiled.

CJ was still in shock as his Tad left the room and Tarn turned shyly to see what reaction he might get.

"A year?" CJ said softly, "YES! I thought he would hold out to 21"

"You don't mind my heritage?"

"Oh Tarnish, you are my future." CJ crooned in Harkness-Jones style, "the past doesn't matter."


	25. Chapter 25

25

"Taddy?"

Ianto looked up from the coat he was gently mending with loving care and smiled at his firstborn.

"Yes baby?"

"I'm sorry."

"Why?" Ianto carefully placed the coat on the table and eyeballed him, "What have you done now!"

CJ snorted and threw him arms around Ianto, hugging him tightly.

"For everything" CJ sniffled, "I was a horrible kid and I said such horrid things."

"Oh baby" Ianto laughed softly as he hugged him back, "You looked after me when I was having the twins, remember? I love you and will always forgive you."

CJ sat and smiled as he held his Taddy's hand.

"I know I'm a bit of a fuddy duddy compared to Dad but I do remember what it feels like to be young and pinned down" Ianto soothed, "Your love for Tarn is admorable, you've been a good son and you will make a wonderful husband and father."

"You really mean the one year thing?" CJ asked.

"Yeah. After your 18th we'll have a ceremony, party, the whole kit and caboodle!" Ianto smiled, "Knowing your father it will involve fireworks at some stage."

"So, we can have balloons and music and dancing?"

"We can start planning ehen ever you want" Iato grinned.

We can choose a date, style and then work towards it" Ianto wathce das CJ puched the air

"A budget will ge agreed to by me and Daddy and you two have to work out what you are doing, do our own planning and I will help you all the way," Ianot grinned.

"Oh wow" Tarn said from the doorway.

"Your 18th birthdays are special, I'm sure your wedding or bonding ceremony … or whatever you want to call it, will be a blast!"

"Blast?" Jack said as he wandered into the room, "What do I get to blast?"


	26. Chapter 26

25

Jack entered the back door and listened but the only sound in the house was of the automatic doors closing on the garage.

He took a few step and listened again.

He was almost around the corner when they struck.

A yodel from SJ as he struck at his father with a sword, reminding him of CJ at that age while RJ took the more serious action of trying to tie him up with a length of twine.

"Avast ya landlubber!" SJ snarled, his eye patch almost off as he challenged his incapacitated Daddy. "You scurvy swine of a … a …."

"Fish woman!" RJ offered then frowned. "That's not right."

"Um …" they had one of their silent conversations as he waited patiently.

"Barnacle!" they yelled at the same time.

Next thing he knew, he was airborne. CJ had him under the arms and Tarn was shrieking with laughter, so much that he dropped his feet a few times before they got him into the living room.

Ianto was on the sofa, asleep?

"Babe?" Jack called, "Save me?"

Ianto opened and eye and covertly shook his head.

"Why can't my love save me?" Jack wailed.

"He's sleeping beauty dummy!" SJ snorted and he turned to RJ with a leer, "See? Told you Taddy was good at this game!"

CJ had hold of Tarn and they were wrestling. SJ stomped over and hit CJ on the rump with the sword.

"Enough of that rubbish ya dog doo-doos!" he yelled, "Wrench, get over here and set these smelly things to work."

"it's wench not wrench ya dork brain!" RJ giggled and SJ frowned.

"Oh yeah" he burst into peels of laugher and looked just like Jack as he roared with his hands on his hips.

"Well" RJ demanded with a giggle, "Swab the sails then!"

CJ and Tarn lost it, shrieking with laughter as they pretended to "Swab" the walls.

"SJ, they need sorting" RJ demanded as she stomped over to pat Ianto's head, "Poor Taddy. We'll save you from the sleeping spell."

"Oh yeah, forgot about that!" SJ gasped. "Sorry darling."

"Ya, ya scum thingy!" SJ poked Jack who grunted and tried to look scared through his snorts of glee.

"You have to save the lovely Prince Taddy!" SJ demanded.

"Oh yes Captain, I'll save the beloved Prince Taddy" Jack said with a grin.

"You better!" SJ growled as he pretended to cut the rope.

"Kiss him now!" RJ clapped and the boys joined in with a cheer.

"Jack gathered the "sleeping" Ianto into his arms and kissed him deeply, revelling in the game.

"You'd better be doing that right Daddy or I'll run you up with this sword."

Ianto couldn't ignore that one and screamed as he held Jack, their tears rolling down their cheeks as Jack held his arse, lest SJ run him up.


	27. Chapter 27

CJ and Tarn lamented the end of school holidays and stomped off to school with mutters of doom.

"What's the problem?" Jack asked Ianto as they watched them go.

"Too cool for school?" Ianto shrugged and Jack snorted.

CJ and Tarn waited until they were around the corner and shrugged off their school blazers.

"Where to?" CJ asked as he walked backwards and Tarn laughed.

"Maybe we should go to school" Tarn frowned and CJ grimaced.

"We don't have to be there until second period, the newbies will still be bitching about the changes, like one school term has made them bloody experts" CJ growled.

"Come on, we were newbies once" Tarn grinned, "You know second term is a bitch when they learn that the classrooms change."

"Well, we were never as snivelly as they probably are right now," CJ pouted, "Let's hang back and let them get their bearings."

Tarn was about to answer when he suddenly stopped walking.

CJ turned to see what he was looking at and saw Tarn's father storming towards hem.

"Knew they'd have to let you out sooner or later you little prick" he snarled as he made a grab for Tarn.

"Get the fuck away from my Tarn!" CJ yelled as he swung his school bag, feeling grim satisfaction when his laptop connected with the man's shin.

Tarn grabbed CJ by the hand and yelled for them to run but his father grabbed him by his schoolbag and yanked him off his feet.

"No" CJ screamed as he struggled with the bastard, punching out at him.

CJ heard feet pounding closer and looked up as his Tad got to them. Tarn's forgotten lunchbox became a weapon as Ianto swung with a snarl of rage.

The lunchbox connected with his head, hurling him back and releasing his grasp of the boys.

Ianto fingered his comms inserted in his ear, as he had been heading to work with Jack once the house was secure, finding the lunchbox on the counter a surprise, "Jack, code red with the boys."

He followed it up with a kick to the son of a bitch's gut and then dropped a knee onto his chest.

Tarn stood gaping with open shock as Ianto proceeded to punch the shit in the face repeatedly.

The SUV screamed around the corner and Jack flew from it, grabbing his snarling husband and wrestling him off the bloody pulp.

"Touched my boys, fucker ...he touched my boys" Ianto raged, trying to get another solid boot in.

Jack hugged Ianto tight as he shook with rage and soothed him until he regained some decorum.

"Sorry about that" Ianto shot his bloody cuffs and squared his shoulders.

A second SUV screamed up and Owen fell from the driver's seat with a soft curse and then motioned for the young man who was laughing from the other side to get the groaning mess.

"Fuck! Ya pummelled him, Sir" the man spluttered as he prodded at him with his foot.

"Feed him to the fucking weevils" Ianto snarled and Jack soothed him some more.

CJ took Tarn into his arms and soothed him as well, watching as young Jenkins hefted the man to his feet and shoved him into the boot of the SUV.

Owen examined the two boys and stroked CJs cheek as he asked him if he was OK.

"Yes Unka Owie" CJ whispered and Owen huffed.

"You want him gone?" Owen asked softly.

"I want him retconned back to infancy, I want …" Ianto roared and Jack hushed him and dragged him back towards Black Beauty.

"I'll kill him" Ianto said softly, "Just let me kill him, no one will miss him, poor cow will enjoy the quiet house."

"I love you tiger, come on now" Jack laughed, "Put those claws away."

"When he's gone and my babies are safe I will fucking calm down" Ianto spoke slowly and Jack nodded.

"OK Hon." Jack agreed, "He's gone!"

Owen huffed softly as he climbed into the SUV and nodded his agreement.

Fucker was gone!


	28. Chapter 28

28

Tarn looked at Ianto with fresh eyes.

The viciousness, the pure animalistic rage as he defended them left Tarn feeling quite … nice.

He saw his chance to thank Ianto and without thinking, he stepped into Ianto's arms like he had seen CJ do a thousand times. It was not until he had those arms wrapped possessively around him and the lips pressed against his forehead did Tarn realise what he had done.

He burst into tears.

CJ had climbed in the SUV and heard Tarn's howl. He exploded from the vehicle and moved at break neck speed towards his beloved.

Ianto was pleased to see Jack's heart displayed in their oldest as he relieved his Tad of his weeping bundle and crooned as he held Tarn, telling him he was loved, safe and everything would be OK.

"OK Tiger Pants?" Jack asked softly, his own heart aching to comfort.

Ianto leaned back into those big strong arms and let Jack rock him gently.

"Did I go a bit far?" Ianto whispered and Jack gawfed with humour.

"Does a bear shit in the woods?" Jack finally giggled back.

"Feed him to the Weevils!" Ianto parodied himself as he turned to face his husband.

They howled with laughter as Jack held Ianto safely against the SUV, their foreheads together as their breaths combined.

"God you're so hot!" Jack whispered, "I would fuck you right here except we can't preach chastity while shagging like rabbits in front of them."

"Oh Cariad" Ianto hiccupped.

"Come on, all aboard the crazy train!" Jack crowed as they all climbed into Black Beauty.

To CJ's surprise and pleasure, they drove to the hub.

Tarn noted the growing excitement in CJ and looked out the window as they drove into an underground parking lot. Then the wall moved.

No.

Disappeared.

Tarn was pressed against the glass as the world changed outside and he found them driving through some huge warehouse. Shelves of stuff, floating past on glass shelving. Like a huge store with isles the size of an SUV.

"Welcome to the Hub" CJ whispered, "That's all alien Tat!"

Tarn turned to gape at CJ how nodded enthusiastically, "Look, the zoo is next!"

Instead of going to the SUV's berth, Jack had turned down another row and soon large cages appeared. Strange creatures looked back, some with fear and some with delight.

"OH!" Ianto cried out and Jack hit the brakes.

Ianto slid from the SUV and ran to a holding cell, pressing himself against the glass as a small blue creature looked up at him. She shuffled over and opened her arms to reveal a small baby.

"Oh, what a gem!" Ianto crooned as he slid down to his knees and touched the glass.

She crooned back and held the baby up to the glass.

Jack keyed the pad for the doors and the glass …. Yep … disappeared.

SO FUCKIN COOOL!

Ianto stroked the fine blue fur of the baby while jabbering at the mother. She seemed to glow with whatever he was saying and when Jack dropped to a knee and started to do it as well, Tarn realised they were talking.

CJ was hopping from foot to foot, "Taddy, can we see?"

More weird noises and she looked up at hem with a soft smile. CJ and Tarn bent to see a small kitten like creature, with feathers. Not fur, oh wow, fine feathers.

"Can I touch?" Tarn whispered and Ianto nodded, watching like a proud parent as Tarn gave a low sound of pleasure as he touched the baby's head.

The mother began to purr, pleased at the attention from so many male creatures and preened some more.

The thin one had told her she was clever and successful to have made such a handsome son and now his own sons were pleased with her child, she was overcome with pride and as they watched she turned a soft purple.

"Oh, so pretty" Tarn whispered as his fingers left the baby and stroked her face instead. "So lovely."

She chirped and Jack laughed, "Careful Tarn, she's getting attached to you and your compliments."

"Mine" CJ calmly told her.

She chirped again and her feathers shook with mirth as she laughed.

"I want one!" Tarn said and Ianto groaned.

"Another year! I told you!" Ianto said firmly, "18, then you marry and breed, a grandchild for us then would be prefect!"

"Yes?" Tan looked up, his eyes unnaturally angled into almonds as they shone.

"Pretty boy" Ianto crooned as he stroked Tarn's cheek, "Soon."

CJ grinned and told his Taddy once more, "Mine!"

Ianto laughed as he turned to Jack and found a kiss waiting.

"Mine too"


	29. Chapter 29

29

Tarn approached Ianto while he was ironing.

Well, watching a cooking channel and dictating a letter to go on a piece of Tat Archie was about to get sent and ironing but why split hairs?

"Ianto, you got a minute?" Tarn sat on the sofa nervously as Ianto clicked off the Dictaphone by the iron.

"Of course Tarn" Ianto placed the iron in its resting cradle and flicked it off at the wall with a toe, then sat.

"You know me and CJ aren't ya know … doing anything" Tarn said awkwardly screwing his hands on his lap.

"Yes" Ianto nodded, "and I am very pleased with you."

"The thing is … well. You said that when we are 18 and can mate, I mean…" Tarn blushed.

"Ah." Ianto huffed, "The baby question?"

Tarn nodded sheepishly.

"CJ had his father's DNA, as well as mine. He was created after I had become altered by the rift. As a baby, he displayed traits of his father and I was curious." Ianto cleared his throat, "I had him checked by Owen and it appears that he has our ability to procreate. Jack can have children as well, a biological trait, inherited. So, we are about 90% sure that CJ can get pregnant with his mate."

"So …." Tarn gaped as he chewed over the words, "My baby? CJ would have my baby?"

"If it's possible, it would be with you. If it doesn't happen then you can adopt. A little human baby or one of the many alien ones we see in our line of work, but I don't think it will be a problem. Not the way you two have bonded. I can smell your excitement when you've been apart." Ianto smiled as he settled in the sofa cushions.

"You look tired" Tarn frowned as he noticed the sooty rings around Ianto's eyes.

"Just been so busy" Ianto yawned.

"How about me and CJ see to the roast? You already did the vegies and stuff, not a big job to baste it" Tarn offered and Ianto smiled as he settled further into the cushions.

"Good practice for when we have our own family" Tarn enthused.

Ianto huffed with amusement as he watched Tarn bustle about the room and was soon asleep.

Jack found him curled into a ball as he slept, the smell of dinner filling the house.

"Hey baby" Jack crooned as he kissed Ianto's forehead and Ianto woke with a hum.

"Oh good, you're home" Tarn enthused. "Dinner is nearly ready, the twins are just setting the table."

"Oh Tarn, how wonderful" Ianto smiled as he rose and stretched.

"Ah, I really liked cooking" Tarn smiled, "I want to learn how to please CJ like you please the Captain."

Jack frowned as he watched them walking into the kitchen. Ianto did do all the domestic stuff, was it all just to please him?

Jack decided it was his turn to cook tomorrow might.

Just gotta work out how to tell Ianto.


	30. Chapter 30

30

The meal last night had been perfectly cooked and the children had all enjoyed watching Ianto fill their lunchboxes with roast beef sandwiches and left over chocolate cupcakes Ianto had made earlier in the day.

The boys walked the twins to school, enjoying the chatter and giggles as they talked about random things. Leaving the twins at the school gates, the boys continued on to their own school.

"When will you leave school?" Tarn asked and CJ shrugged.

"I want to work for Dad and Tad at Torchwood but I need better grades. I would like to be a doctor like Uncle Owen" CJ said.

"Oh, that sounds like a lot of work" Tarn smiled.

"What about you?" CJ asked as he glanced at his love, "What do you want to be?"

"A Taddy" Tarn sighed as he clasped his hands together, "Like your Tad. Kind, loving and efficient."

"Yeah, but Tad has a job too" CJ laughed, "He's Dad's second. Like, his assistant or PA or whatever."

"How would I do that for you, if you are a Doctor?" Tarn huffed, "No. I don't want to be a nurse. I want to be my own person. Just one with babies and babies!"

CJ laughed as he pulled Tarn in for a quick kiss.

"I will love our babies" CJ said seriously, "They will be so well loved that they will be smothered by it."

Tarn giggled and let CJ lead him by the hand into the gates of the high school.

All day, Tarn chewed on the conversation and that afternoon he sought Ianto out in the archives at the hub. CJ had taken him there to get some money off Jack for a book he needed for school and become engrossed in an autopsy with Owen.

"Ianto?" Tarn called as he walked through the stacks.

"Down here love" came a reply and Tarn walked eagerly around the corner … and froze.

It was huge, bright pink and undulated like jelly. Ianto was pressed against the shelving unit with wide eyes that flicked between the being and Tarn.

"Tarn, I dropped my coms while I was running and … er … we need to get Jack" Ianto said calmly but Tarn heard the fear in his voice.

"What do I do?" Tarn whispered. "I'm too scared to leave."

"That box over there, the white on. See it?" Ianto said and Tarn turned to look at it.

"Back on my desk is one just like it, it's what this was contained in. We need to coax it back into the box" Ianto replied.

"It won't hurt you if I leave?" Tarn now saw the small shudders as Ianto tried to keep calm.

"You need to hurry, they take time to think over the option of eating or fleeing."

Tarn gasped at the insinuation that Ianto might get eaten and he ran like a thing possessed.

He snatched the box up and ran back, praying to whomever might care, to spare Ianto.

"Kick it into the mass" Ianto whined, pain on his face as he clutched at his wrist.

"Oh my god, did it get you?" Tarn felt tears threatening as he placed the box on the ground and kicked it into the blob.

It winked, and disappeared.

Ianto slid down the shelves with a soft groan and Tart kicked the box shut, placing several heavy books on it.

"Good boy" Ianto whispered as he slumped into Tarn's arms, "My brave, good boy."

Tarn cried out as Ianto became a dead weight and clumsily pulled out the cell phone, hoping the walkie-talkie function with CJ's would work.

"I have you Ianto" Tarn sobbed, "I have you."


	31. Chapter 31

31

Ianto knew this wasn't his bed. Too bright.

He blearily blinked open his eyes and found Owen leaning over him with a stethoscope.

"Back with us then?" Owen huffed as he rucked Ianto in.

"Tarn" Ianto croaked, then coughed.

"Here. Drink this" Owen unceremoniously shoved a straw between his lips, "You were puking for a bit and your throat won't love you for it."

"Tarn" Ianto repeated, clearer this time.

"Scared, but fine" Owen assured him.

"Oh thank god" Ianto slumped into the bedding.

"What the hell were you thinking" CJ roared as he came into the room, "Tarn was almost killed by that thing. Jesus Taddy I …."

"That's enough!" Tarn barked and everyone jumped. "Leave him alone."

"Tarn's right Bug" Jack agreed as he slid past and walked over to the bed. "Containment seal broke. Could have happened anywhere, to anyone. We're just lucky it was in the archives, not in the back of the SUV in midday traffic."

Ianto smiled as he reached for Jack and Jack took his injured wrist, then kissed the bandage.

"M poor wounded soldier" Jack crooned and Ianto hummed with a loving smile.

"Tarn" Ianto reached for him with the other hand, "You did exactly what you were supposed to. You showed a lot of heart. Important thing to have in this place. I am so proud of you."

Tarn grinned as he accepted the praise and CJ sighed.

"Sorry Taddy" he pouted, "I didn't mean to go off on one, I just panicked."

"I know Buggy bum" Ianto smiled, "Come give me a cuddle."

CJ hurried over and pushed Jack out of the way as he clambered onto the bed and settled in Ianto's arms, sighing as he listened to his Taddy's strong heartbeat.

"It's OK darling" Ianto crooned, "I was scared too."

Ianto pulled Tarn until Tarn got the message and climbed onto the bed and enjoyed the hug as well.

"I love my boys" Ianto crooned, "My shiny stars."

Tarn basked in the adoration and looked at CJ who had his eyes closed as he also enjoyed the praise. Ianto's hand was rubbing circles in his back and he was humming like Ianto sometime does.

Don't be mad Cay-Jay" Tarn whispered, "I was so scared. Your Taddy was so brave."

CJ smiled and reached out to touch Tarn's face. "Sorry Tarnished Love."

Tarn smiled as he closed his eyes and listened to Ianto's heartbeat along with CJ. The melody of love soothing them.

"I was scared too" Jack pouted.

"Later Cariad" Ianto smiled over the heads of the boys, "You can kiss it better. I need lots of better though, it does hurt."

"Oh my poor baby" Jack crooned and Ianto smiled.

Just enough warmth, more than enough love for everyone to go around, just right.

"It could have taken you away" Tarn whispered as he held Ianto a bit tighter.

"But it didn't" Ianto assured him, "You saved us."


	32. Chapter 32

32

The activity had Ianto's head spinning.

First Tarn and CJ whipped the kids off to Maccas and Jack fluffed Ianto onto the sofa.

Ianto was grateful for the silent house and closed his eyes as the throbbing wrist kept nagging.

When Jack came and sat next to him the smell of something wonderful shook him from his fugue.

Ianto opened his eyes and found the coffee table with a red table cloth on it, a vase with a rose (God knows where he got it from) and the plates were the good china.

"You know I can't cook to save myself, all those years and I never learned anything above stew and roasts" Jack smiled softly, "thank Goodness Darien's delivers when you remind them about that wee problem with "Rats" they had not long ago. I got your favourites."

"Of Cariad" Ianto sighed, tears threatening as the horrible day suddenly got a whole lot better.

"We will eat, shower and change that bandage. Then, I think you deserve a massage and some cuddling may be in order, Mr Harkness-Jones" Jack smiled.

Ianto enjoyed the meal and the loving company no end.

"I was so scared today" Jack admitted as they undressed for the shower.

"You were scared? Think about me. Poor Tarn was so close it could have turned at any time." Ianto sighed as he relaxed under Jack's fingers at his knotted shoulders.

"Come on, under that water" Jack pushed him gently and Ianto slid under the water, just the right temperature.

Hands were soapy and slippery as they slid around his body and Ianto leaned back into Jack's embrace as they kissed.

Jack was touching, exploring and teasing as Ianto panted through the steam and Ianto groaned as Jack finally took him to hand … so to speak.

"My beautiful husband" Jack crooned as he breached and prepared him.

Finally, Ianto braced himself against the cubicle wall and Jack pushed in, filling and claiming. As always.

"Ahhhh, Jack" Ianto cried as his head fell back against Jack's shoulder and he whined as he bucked in Jack's hands.

"Oh baby" Jack sighed as he fully seated himself.

"I love you so much" Jack whispered, "I won't survive without you."

"Oh Jack, that will never happen" Ianto smiled as the hot water soothed and caressed.

"I heard you though" he whispered.

"Heard me, what?" Ianto snorted.

"You told Tarn, you said that he saved both of you." Jack pointed out, "You were scared."

"I was" Ianto admitted as he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the niggle.

 _Don't say it._

 _Don't ask._

"Was Tarn in danger?"

Ianto sighed.

 _And there it is._

"It was a Hemophorak Blob. Everyone was at risk cariad" Ianto finally said and Jack hummed.

They continued to sway as they each pondered the strange day, and conversation.

Jack felt that Ianto was chewing on something, something was not right. He had hoped the meal and fussing would help ease the tension but he still felt it.

What was upsetting his beloved?

And why was he hiding it?


	33. Chapter 33

33

The twins were fighting, snarling and tugging at each other as they rolled about on the sofa.

"Stop that!" CJ growled from the nearby chair, "Taddy's having a snooze. You'll wake him!"

"Too late baby" Ianto yawned and stretched showing off his stomach.

"Jeez Tad" CJ laughed, "Can see that no fieldwork lately has gone to your waist."

"Er, I've had a lot to do with the stock that Archie needs" Ianto frowned, "Stop being so critical of me."

"I'm not" CJ said with surprise, "I didn't mean anything by it Taddy. I know you had yourself taken off active because of the work load down in the archives."

"Yeah, well. Stop picking at me!" Ianto frowned as he looked over at the twins who had now reached the back of the sofa and were toppling on the edge.

"SJ don't push your sister, she's going to …."

SJ defiantly shoved RJ and crowed triumphantly as she flew off the back and landed in a heap on the floor.

Silence.

Ianto rushed to her with a gasp of horror.

He scooped her up and said her name several times as he checked her for damage.

She took a shuddering breath and Ianto knew she was badly hurt as she screamed.

"SHIT!" Ianto scooped her into his arms, "The Austin Martin, go, go, go!"

Jack had the SUV and the other SUV Ianto had been hinting about had been purchased and promptly claimed by the hub.

CJ and Tarn clambered into the back as she cried and she screamed again as she clung to her Taddy with one hand, her arm held against her chest as it heaved.

"Shit," Ianto swore, "CJ, drive."

"What?"

"Goddamn it, those lessons cost enough. Get behind the wheel and bloody drive. SJ, back with me. Tarn front passenger."

They peeled out and made it to the hub where Martha and Owen bustled them in

It quickly became obvious that RJ had broken her wrist and SJ was inconsolable as he realised that he had hurt her.

Ianto had his own wrist still bandaged and made a joke about being a matching set as he comforted her.

The bright pink cast cheered her up.

CJ's glare at SJ didn't warm him any though.

Tarn slid over to join Ianto on the sofa as Jack bustled about carrying his wounded chick on his arms and alternating between giving orders and cooing to her.

SJ decided it was best to hide with Owen while CJ stalked him.

"Ianto?"

"Yes sweetling" Ianto turned to him and smiled.

"You knew she was hurt before she said so" Tarn pointed out.

"A Taddy knows. A good parent can tell the difference in their child's face, manner and cry" Ianto infirmed him as he scratched at his wrist.

"Is that healing?"

"Yep. Just itches, the bloody thing" Ianto frowned and pouted as he growled softly at his wrist.

"When you were pregnant, did you know?"

"Not with CJ" Ianto stopped scratching and leaned back, "Jack worked it out. With the twins, I knew."

"Did things change when you said it out loud?"

"Yeah. I became someone else. I became … less me, more a baby carrier" Ianto frowned up at the ceiling, "A lot of the problem was hormones messing with my moods, I would find fault. Everything said or done, I would wonder if it was because of the baby."

"So, they treated you different?"

"Yeah" Ianto sighed. "And I acted differently because of it."

"Is that why you're not saying anything now?"


	34. Chapter 34

34

Ianto looked silently at Tarn for a few heartbeats, then nodded.

"So … a secret then?"

"For now" Ianto assured him, "I've not settled into the idea yet, Jack should be the first to know. When Martha confirms it. I will tell him when the feeling is right."

"Tell me what?" Jack asked as he stepped down the stairs and handed Ianto their sleeping baby girl.

"About my plans for the archives, Sir" Ianto smiled politely as he rose and carried her off for a sleep in the night shift quarters.

"You two have a secret" Jack accused and Tarn blushed in a parody of Ianto.

"It's OK" Jack assured him, "I like that Ianto had a friend in you. He's enjoying having a cohort."

Tarn grinned and nodded as he watched Ianto walking into the dark corridor. He yearned for his own baby to hold, maybe this was a good thing. To see what is involved. Ianto would let him participate and experience.

Tarn found his mate talking with Owen and he stepped into CJ's arms without a second thought.

"Hey, you OK Tarnish?" CJ crooned as he kissed his love's forehead like Daddy does.

"I love you" Tarn whispered as he snuggled in and CJ beamed as he tightened his grip.

"When we marry, I will hire a plane to skywrite my love for you" CJ whispered and Jack smiled as he listened to the endearments.

"I can fly" Jack said suddenly, "World War, I had my wings. I could easily skywrite our love for our wonderful better halves."

"Which one?" Tarn asked.

"Take your pick" Jack grinned.

"Oh Dad!" CJ snorted, "I never can tell when you are kidding or when you are being serious about that kind of thing."

Jack hummed and then ran off, heading for his husband and CJ grinned at Tarn. "That should keep him busy looking for proof for a while."

"That wasn't fair" Tarn laughed, "Did you see his face?"

"Mmmmmmmmm, my love" CJ stole a kiss and Tarn purred softly.

Jack followed Ianto into the sleeping quarters and watched as he tucked their little bird in, then stood watching her sleep.

"Ianto?" Jack said softly and Ianto sighed as he turned, letting his body droop to show his fatigue.

Dirty pool, but guaranteed to work as Jack rushed forward to help him undress and slip in with their wee girl.

A kiss to his forehead and Ianto was out.

Jack stood watching Ianto sleep with their daughter against his chest and had a sudden jolt of reality.

Turning on his heels, he stormed off in search of the boys. He found them necking in his office and he didn't even try to be diplomatic.

"You two are supposed to be chaste!" he growled and both boys jumped.

"Sir?" Tarn whispered as he looked at the man looming over him.

"I know what's going on. I've worked it out!" Jack snarled.

"Oh?" CJ's hackles rose as he watched Tarn deflate. "Do tell!"

"The conversations about pregnancy and babies, the bloody unending questions and need for more." Jack shook his finger at a wide eyed Tarn. "You're bloody pregnant."

CJ was enraged as he pulled Tarn down to the med-bay and demanded a scan. He stood with his arms folded glaring at his father while Owen and Martha checked and confirmed the lack of baby.

"Right, I've had enough of this!" CJ snarled and Tarn turned to gape at him.

"You've had enough? What about me!" Tarn snarled as he pulled his hand out of CJ's, "Go to hell Caden-Jack!"

Tarn fled to Ianto who blearily listened to the weeping boy's explanation of events and decided a cuddle was required.

Tarn toed off his shoes and climbed into the bed. He snuffled into Ianto's embrace, safe from the Twpsyn Harkness-Jones men raging at each other in the hub.

Ianto fumed.


	35. Chapter 35

35

Ianto saw his chance two days later when he found Jack going through old pictures in the "To be in Album" box. A box of all the random shots Ianto was going to album together one day.

"Jack?"

"Look at this one" Jack grinned as he held up a picture of SJ, "Remember when his little ear was folded over from sleeping on it?"

"Jack, I need to speak with Martha and I want you there" Ianto said calmly.

"Oh, OK" Jack was sifting through pictures and came across one of a heavily pregnant Ianto, asleep in their bed.

"Are you listening to me?" Ianto frowned.

"You were so beautiful in the last trimester" Jack smiled. "Remember how hot you got? I fanned you like a slave?"

Despite his intention, Ianto found himself sitting and taking the shot from Jack's fingertips.

"I forgot how huge I got" he mused.

"Fuckable!" Jack crowed as he snatched it back, "So gorgeous and wanton. Oh, I never wanted to leave the bed."

"Charming!" Ianto laughed and Jack leered.

"What do you have there?" CJ asked as he entered, followed by a still angry Tarn.

Jack handed the pic to CJ who lit up.

"Look Tarn. Taddy with the twins on board" he turned and handed it to Tarn who gaped at the picture.

Ianto was naked, just the top red silk sheet covering his modesty as he lay in repose. He face turned away and his arms thrown out. His stomach was huge. Ianto's skin seemed to glow and he looked like a Rubens painting.

"Wow" Tarn ogled, "Look at the size of the bubbies. You must have been so tired."

"I was" Ianto sighed.

"But CJ was just the one baby" Tarn pointed out, "Another baby would not be like that, yeah? It was because you were carrying two that it was harder."

Ianto hummed his agreement and Jack went still.

"Did you know that it was two?" Tarn was asking and CJ answered, telling of the births.

Jack slowly turned his head to look at his husband who was looking at another picture. It was one of Jack holding CJ on the day he was born. He looked up with his face full of love and saw Jack's stare.

"Cariad?"

"You're pregnant" Jack started. "You …. You are. Aren't you. Tarn knows, that's why you both panicked."

"Daddy! Don't be so silly" CJ scoffed, "If Tarn knew that, he would have told me already."

Tarn raised an eyebrow and Ianto huffed.

"Martha?" Ianto prodded, "Now?"

"You are. Aren't you!" Jack was demanding now, sliding to the edge of the sofa.

"I … I'm not sure. I don't know for sure" Ianto stammered and Jack was off.

He yelled, roared and spat as he raged at Ianto for endangering their unborn child.

Then he deflated and looked at Ianto with horror.

Then he whooped and hollered as he leapt into the air and bounced around the room. Crowing at his sperm's wonderful mobility.

Then he fell to his knees and he was kissing Ianto, apologising, declaring his undying love, thanking him, cherishing him. Weeping as he touched the flat stomach and detecting a slight mound.

Another bout of leaping and pirouettes as he knew, he knew it was another baby.

Ianto turned to Tarn with a raised eyebrow, "First rule. Don't act like that when you knock up our son. They can dish it out, but not take it."

Tarn giggled and nodded.

CJ had finally caught on and he joined his father, holding hands as they danced around and hollered at each other.

Ianto and Tarn groaned in unison.

Ianto turned to Tarn and eyeballed him.

"Second rule. Don't forget the first rule."


	36. Chapter 36

36

Martha moved the wand over the soft belly and watched the screen with wonder.

It didn't matter how many times she saw it, the small life in his stomach cavity was still wondrous to see.

"Wow" Tarn breathed as the screen zoomed in and the heart could be seen beating.

"Well, it looks like you are about eight weeks, give or take" she smiled at Ianto who was watching his husband's face as it shone with delight.

"Feels more like … maybe ten" Ianto whispered, not wanting to break Jack's concentration as he studied his new child.

"Well, each has been a bit different. This time we know early so we can feed you up a bit better than last time … times" she amended with a soft laugh.

Jack finally blinked and turned to look at her, determination on his face, "He will be loved, fed, watched and …"

"Coddled, criticised, constantly checked on and fluffed over …." Ianto said softly.

"…I will treat him like the king that he is!" Jack finished, then frowned as he registered Ianto's quips.

"I never criticised you" Jack defended himself.

"You did, if you remember, I fell and you said it was my fault for not getting help" Ianto pointed out.

"One time, and I apologised once I had calmed down" Jack whined, slumping as he remembered his brain-fart moment.

"I wasn't allowed any sweets, you monitored all my food and even weighed me each day" Ianto pouted.

"Weighed him?" Tarn gaped.

"I wanted to know how big my baby was getting" Jack answered, "CJ was huge!"

"Long" Ianto corrected, "He was a long child, long limbs and he took up quite a bit of room."

"Reminded me of a little rabbit, all long limbed and skinny" Owen laughed as he checked Ianto's' blood pressure with a gentle scan, "Too long for the first jumpsuit, had to go home barefoot too, his feet were too big for the booties."

"That's why it never occurred to us that there were two the next ….. God. Martha?" Jack swung to look at her.

"No! Just the one this time, I did a careful check this time!" she smiled.

"Not that I don't love the twins but … wow. One is going to be perfect" Jack clasped his hands to his chest and made an excited little noise as he returned to the screen.

"Wow" Tarn repeated, "Excited, isn't he."

"Wait until I have a bump and you can feel it move" Ianto laughed, "I had him attached to it like a limpet."

"Oh my little lovely" Jack crooned to Ianto's stomach, "Daddy is going to love you soooooo much."

SJ watched from the doorway as the small life blinked on the screen then he turned and ran to tell his sister.

Taddy was having a baby.


	37. Chapter 37

37

The twins had been silent on the trip home and while dinner was being prepared they were nowhere to be found.

With Tarn and CJ happily setting the table, Ianto went in search of his beasts.

He found them in their bedrooms, mess everywhere and one bed pulled halfway across the doorway.

"What are you doing?" he asked calmly.

"I'm taking CJ's old room!" SJ said waving his hand in that direction, "RJ is having mine. Then her room can be for bubba!"

Ianto blinked and looked at his children as they continued ripping the house apart.

"The bubba won't be here until after Christmas time" Ianto said softly and they laughed.

"Exactly! We need to paint it, get bubba stuff and learn about bubba needs!" RJ informed him.

"Yeah, can we hire one or something?" SJ frowned at him, "Just for experimentation purposes."

"SJ! He means experience, not experiment!" RJ rolled her eyes as her brother fudged his words like he always did when excited.

"Well you know what I bloody mean!" he muttered in a parody of their Uncle.

"Watch you language" Ianto said absently as he noticed a box in the hall.

"That's stuff for Bubba!" RJ said grandly, "We are both giving toys we think she will like."

"He!" SJ answered.

"How do you know!" she demanded, her little hands on her hips as she thrust her face at her brother.

"Statistics! CJ, Me! You were extra, like left overs or something"

RJ had thumped him before Ianto had even registered the insult.

"SJ, apologise to your sister right this bloody minute!" Ianto demanded. Then he leaned against the wall as a wave of nausea hit.

Great, the day it is confirmed is the day he gets his first bout of morning sickness? Really?

Ianto staggered to the bathroom and fell to his knees as he began to dry wretch.

RJ had followed and when she saw her Tadda on the floor she ran for her Daddy, certain her would make it better.

Jack cradled Ianto as he groaned, another wave hitting and bile coming up.

"It's OK baby, better out than in" Jack crooned as he rubbed his back and rocked him.

Tarn had left CJ and arrived to see what was wrong. He wet a face cloth, handing it over for Jack to wipe Ianto's face with. Another was placed on the back of his neck and Ianto groaned with relief.

"Thank you baby" Ianto moaned as Tarn rubbed his back as well.

Jack lifted his husband into his arms then carried him to bed as the three little ducklings all followed and Jack removed Ianto's shoes for him, then tucked him in.

"Try and get some sleep hon, you always wake feeling better after one of those" Jack whispered as he kissed Ianto's forehead.

Ianto hummed and drifted off as Tarn drew the curtains.

They moved to the kitchen and settled around the table as Tarn took over the cooking duties.

"Is Taddy going to be OK?" RJ asked in a trembling voice.

"Yes darling. Taddy gets sick when he's growing a baby" Jack smiled lovingly at his little princess.

"So he'll do that again?" she gasped.

"For a while, but we'll look after him, right?" CJ prompted and everyone nodded.

Tarn made a mental list of what he needed to make soup and knew he would do anything needed to help his Taddy … I mean. Ianto.


	38. Chapter 38

38

Tarn was sitting next to Ianto as they aimlessly watched daytime TV.

Ianto was feeling flat and Tarn had a study day so he had snuggled down on the sofa with the excuse of a cold.

It was nice having the soft quilt over both of them, and although the TV programme was stupid, they both laughed at the really dumb bits.

Finally Ianto turned it off and let his head fall back.

"Can I ask you something I probably shouldn't?" Tarn said nervously and Ianto rolled his head to the side, looking at his 'other' son.

"Try me" Ianto said softly.

"CJ, he said that you went away. Were taken and then came back." Tarn frowned.

"Ah. The Rift." Ianto smiled to himself.

"OK, I don't talk about it and I never repeat myself." Ianto said as Tarn sat up and looked at him with interest.

"Just between us, right?" Ianto asked and Tarn nodded.

"I died" Ianto whispered. Tarn went very still and gaped.

"First, I died. When the 456 came and tried to take the children. Jack and I confronted them and I died in his arms" Ianto sighed.

"But, I mean. How?" Tarn screwed up his face.

"The rift. Jack heard about a place where the dead were being brought back for séances and stuff." Ianto explained, "An old pub that had been named "The House of the Dead."

"Appropriate name" Tarn frowned and Ianto laughed softly.

"Jack went there, hoping that whatever rift energy they were using would bring me back, my spirit so he could tell me he loved me" Ianto went on, "The problem was, his love was so strong that I came back all the way. Plucked from his brain, straight into existence."

"So that's how you came back" Tarn sighed.

"No. I died again" Ianto corrected him.

"Huh?"

"To fix the rift tear that was giving the place it's power, I had to step into the tear with a bomb and blow it up" Ianto said sadly, "I tricked Jack into thinking I was leaving with him then left him at the doorstep."

"OH MY GOD" Tarn's eyes seemed to fill his face.

"I remember a sensation of floating. Like, in a warm pool of jelly." Ianto shrugged. "But there was all this golden light. I remember crying, wanting Jack and hating myself for tricking him into letting me go."

"So what happened?" Tarn begged.

"A voice"

Tarn wriggled to the edge of the sofa and gaped some more.

"A magical, musical voice said "I give life" and I woke up." Ianto sighed.

"Where!"

"In the old hub, where I had been happiest with my Jack. Unfortunately Unit was rifling through the debris from the old explosion and I was … er. .. Detained." Ianto shrugged, "I kept asking for Jack, kept begging for him. They kept asking me about miracle day like I had any idea what crap they were talking. Finally, someone leaked the file to Jack and he came for me. Damn near set the world on fire."

"Oh wow" Tarn sighed romantically.

"He had that coat, his gun drawn and he was screaming with rage" Ianto smiled as he remembered, "The place was on fire, god knows what he had done as a diversion. He took me to a safe house and held me. For almost a week I even had to pee with him hugging me from behind, scared that it was a dream and he would wake up to a cold bed again."

"So, you always loved him?" Tarn smiled.

"Apart from one time when I shot him but that's another story and he deserved it" Ianto said calmly as Tarn clapped his hands.

CJ leaned against the wall in the hallway as he processed the story he had never actually heard before.

Wow. Dad had set the world aflame for Tad.

CJ thought of his Tarnished one and smiled.

Yeah. It could all burn for one more kiss.


	39. Chapter 39

39

Ianto noticed that CJ and Tarn had become more … touchy-feely with each other.

Hands held, touches to each other as they walked to the table for dinner and CJ had stood outside the bathroom door waiting for Tarn to finish his shower for bed.

Ianto smiled as he watched the door open and his son's face light up.

Tarn stepped into his arms and accepted a soft kiss, then handed over his clothes which CJ raced to the laundry with.

As Tarn settled next to Ianto, it seemed natural for Ianto to throw his arm around him in a hug.

"He's attentive today" Ianto said softly.

"All afternoon" Tarn agreed, "Told me he loved me. Told me that if I ever left him or died he would probably implode and cease to exist."

"Wow! That's a good one!" Ianto agreed.

"No one has ever threatened to implode for me before" Tarn sighed.

"Jack exploded once, but that was entirely different" Ianto agreed.

Tarn giggled and soon they were both giggling as they clung to one another.

"Hello possums" Jack quipped as he entered the back door.

"Hello Jack" they chorused and then howled with laughter again.

"What are you two up to?" Jack demanded as he eyeballed the pair of loons.

"We were talking" Ianto said and then stopped to take a breath.

"About exploding" Tarn finished.

"Ah! I've blown a few things up in my day" Jack smiled as he looked at the ceiling, "Best ever had to be that star ship. Remember darling? Purple rain."

"Oh god yes!" Ianto roared with laughter and CJ returned to hold Tarn's hand.

"Ferbots" Jack said cryptically, "Bloody things took exception to me petting them. How was I supposed to know that static electricity would make them short out like that!"

"Jack, you were flirting with furry robots." Ianto sighed as he rolled his eyes, "You didn't have to touch them to short them out."

Jack preened as Tarn and CJ giggled.

"It was a chain reaction" Jack told them with glee, "Boom, boom, boom that this god almighty KABOOM!"

"The fallout was purple, purple flames visible from the ground." Ianto sighed, "Quite pretty actually."

"You were preggers with CJ" Jack smiled as he leaned in for a kiss, "You were the most beautiful thing there. Standing on that grassy hill with the night sky wrapping around you, purple rain and starlight."

"Stop it!" Ianto scolded but his blush spurred Jack on.

"We made love in the grass, CJ's little bump rubbing against my belly as we …."

"AAAAAAARRRRRRGGHHHHHH" CJ slapped his hands over his ears and began to make serine noises.

"Oh well," Jack shrugged as he winked at Tarn, "Purple is his favourite colour!"

"I know" Tarn giggled.

"Mine too" Ianto said softly as he stroked his husband's hand.

"I thought it was red" Jack frowned.

"That's your favourite colour on me!" Ianto laughed and Jack grinned.

"Oh yeah!"


	40. Chapter 40

40

Jack found Ianto in the bedroom, going through his wardrobe.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked as he took a seat in the edge of the bed.

"Rearranging my end" Ianto said as he looked at a shirt and moved it to the back of the rack.

"Hey! I like that one!" Jack pouted as his brain stopped looking for a comeback.

"I know Cariad, so do I but my growing waistline doesn't" Ianto laughed softly.

"Ah damn" Jack sighed as he realised several of his favourite "Ianto Outfits" were going to go into storage for a while.

"Sorry Cariad, them's the rules" Ianto deadpanned as Jack groaned.

"But there are upsides" Ianto said as he turned to watch Jack writhe on the bed in full diva mode.

Jack stopped the display and looked over with interest.

"Shopping!" Ianto breathed.

Jack's eyes got wide and his breath short as he eyeballed his husband.

"Me too?" Jack asked in a small voice.

"Not my favourite stores but … yeah. You can come with." Ianto shrugged.

"And…and can I choose …. I mean ….. Can I look ….ooooooo" Jack was now on his knees as he followed Ianto in to the bathroom, his hands clasped like a dog begging.

"Well. I suppose you should see how things fit … are put on …" Ianto paused for effect and enjoyed the way Jack whimpered "…and come off."

Jack was whining loudly as he grabbed at Ianto's waist but Ianto was quicker, stepping around him and yawned as he reached up to the top shelf.

His shirt slipped out of his jeans and up ….revealing a small bump.

Jack was there, licking, kissing and nuzzling while he humped Ianto's leg.

Ianto sighed and rolled his eyes, "Down!"

Jack sighed and let Ianto escape but his grin of glee was seen by all as he skipped … yeah skipped to the table for breakfast.

When asked why he was happy he replied that he was taking Ianto shopping.

Ianto mentally made a list of clothing stores he didn't really care about so when they were found in the dressing room, he wouldn't be so ashamed when they got kicked out.

He looked over at his husband and licked his lips as he remembered previous "Big Clothes" stores they had shopped in and their shocking falls from grace as they were caught every time.

If only Jack didn't laugh so loud when he was close to buttoning up a too small size, his loud huffing mistaken from lovemaking.

If only they knew, that had already been completed in silence.

Why else would he be re-dressing?


	41. Chapter 41

41

Tarn was scrubbing the carpet in the hallway and Jack sighed as he knew without asking that Ianto was sick again.

He padded softly into the bedroom and found his beloved rolled in the bedding moaning softly as CJ tried to comfort him with soft rubbing to his back.

"Dad, thank god" CJ sighed, relinquishing his place where he was kneeling on the bed and Jack quickly toed off his boots and shucked his braces as he clambered to take his place.

"Babe?" Jack said softly and Ianto gave a high pitched whine.

"Massage? Feet or belly?" Jack offered.

"Back, lower back" came a shuddering reply.

Shit. He was crying.

Jack removed some bedding, careful to keep the one sheet over Ianto to hide his dismay from the kids and began slow, deliberate circles with the heel of his hand.

Ianto moaned and stopped rocking, pushing back.

Tarn came into the room, having changed clothes and washed thoroughly as he had learned that Ianto couldn't stand the smell of his own vomit and would start again if he smelt it now.

Tarn crawled into the bed and started to sing softly to the bump as Ianto reached out for his hair.

Like a large teddy, Tarn lay in Ianto's arms getting a cuddle and soft strokes to his head as he soothed the baby.

Finally Ianto started to buckle and Tarn slid back as he collapsed onto his side and Jack spooned against his back as Ianto slowly wound down.

Tarn crept from the room to help CJ with the twins and closed the door softly.

"How long this time?" Jack asked and Ianto mumbled, pushing back against him.

"Ianto" Jack sighed as Ianto did it again.

"OK, this time" Jack conceded as he cuddled Ianto and let him sleep.

Jack woke to find himself alone, bloody hell.

Jack padded out into the kitchen and found his spouse in full blown baking frenzy.

The kids were eagerly icing gingerbread men as Ianto pulled another tray of muffins from the oven.

"Babe?"

"Banana and choc chip" Ianto declared as he placed them on the cooling rack.

"Hon, you OK?" Jack slid into a char and accepted a plate.

"Brilliant. Just really need that ginger crackle to hurry up and set" Ianto growled as he opened the fridge and poked at it again.

"Oh gods, really?" Jack asked excitedly.

"We have ginger men!" SJ waved one that looked a bit weevil-ish and Jack grinned.

RJ showed Jack hers and then screamed with rage when SJ leaned over and bit its head off.

"You ate Taddy's one!" she roared as she reared back.

Ianto yelled a warning but was too late, at the fist caught SJ on the nose.

Ianto turned to yell and yelped instead, grabbing at his belly.

"YAN!" Jack yelled with fear and rose but Ianto was laughing.

"Quick, he's kicking" Ianto said and Jack rushed over, almost beaten by the others.

Several hands pressed against the bare stomach as Jack pulled up the shirt and they all waited expectantly.

Then it happened.

Ianto's belly undulated and everyone cooed with glee.

SJ looked at RJ and whispered an apology. RJ smiled.

A girl. She was sure of it.


	42. Chapter 42

42

Jack heard the hub door opening and sighed as he wondered what Mickey had forgotten now.

He looked up and was surprised to see Ianto moving across the room at speed.

"Baby?" Jack called out and Ianto slowed, looking in his direction.

That's when Jack saw the contradiction. No belly.

Jack rose and calmly smiled, "Hey hon. Forget something?"

It smiled and motioned towards the cells so Jack smiled back and motioned for it to proceed while he fingered his VM and scanned it quietly.

A shapeshifter for sure, or … wait. What was that? Something else registered but it was cloaking well and Jack fond it uncanny the way it showed his love's manner. It had been studying them for a while, especially as the flat stomach hadn't existed for a few months.

"So, are the kids OK hon?" Jack leaned back against the wall and watching as it hunted along the shelves.

"Not looking for one of those artefacts you popped onto the spare cell, are ya babe? Remember? You put a few boxes in there while you are spring cleaning." Jack leered.

It wandered to the cells and Jack touched a button, opening one.

He watched the Ianto-thing walk in and then a shriek echoed as Janet said hello.

It shot out of the cell and into the opposite one, which Jack closed.

"You know, you almost had me there" Jack smiled through the glass at the stunned creature, "Shame you didn't know my lovely husband is with child at the moment."

The creature's eyes widened and then it seemed to shimmer, change and Jack found himself staring at a shocked John Hart.

"Preggers? Eye-candy is preggers? Wait, husband?" John asked softly.

"Hello Captain Hart" Ianto said as he stepped into view and John gaped at the large stomach.

"Oh wow" Hart slammed into the glass, "Give me a touch. Aw, come on, gods, how fucking erotic."

"Shut up, or Janet is let loose again!" CJ sauntered into view in Harkness pose and John's eyes almost fell out of his head.

"Oh gods, you breed them gorgeous around here" John panted, "What' your name sweet cheeks."

"Caden-Jack Harkness-Jones." CJ drawled, stepping up to the glass to eyeball the stunned time agent, "Remember that name when I shove that cloaking device up your fucking …."

"Language darling. Bubba on board" Ianto said mildly.

"Sorry Taddy, sorry peanut. Dad, let me in"

"CJ, please calm down" Jack said softly, "John is always a bit of a prick."

"I don't care" CJ snarled, "I want to kill the f …. Bugger for pretending to be Taddy."

"John this is our oldest child, CJ. The twins are with his partner and as you can see, Ianto has number four on board" Jack smiled like a predator, "So why are you upsetting the apple cart?"

"Fourth?" John blinked, "Fuck. I'm in the wrong time. Bugger, how do I keep doing this?"

John stated to fiddle with his VM and Ianto canted his head, then to everyone's surprise Ianto waved.

John disappeared and Ianto turned to Jack.

"Remember the day you came down to the archives and they were a mess? I told you that I was killing a spider?"

"CJ was still a baby" Jack grinned.

"Well, that was the spider. He tried to chat me up and I beat the living tar out of him. Wondered why he didn't bolt when he saw he this time" Ianto laughed.

"Wait, he just jumped back to that moment?" CJ started to laugh.

"I was fighting fit and raring to go, a year of desk work and I was champing at the bit for a bit of action. I really let him have it, both barrels. He said something about Jack's eyes."

"Wow, now it makes sense" Jack's eyes lit up. "Against that shelving unit, it left marks for days the way you were so rough and …."

CJ screamed with horror as Ianto laughed.

Yep. A good day, that.


	43. Chapter 43

43

Ianto was in the bath, watching the water swirl around the bump.

He heard Jack in the other room and called out, letting him know where he was and Jack came in with an eager smile.

Ianto knew the drill and raised his arms, placing his hands behind his head so that Bump was fully exposed.

Jack crawled over on his hand and knees, crooning as he reached the side of the bathtub, leaning in to kiss and lick at the bump as he told it how wonderful it was and how loved it was.

"RJ is still betting on a girl" Ianto said as he reached out to stroke Jack's hair that was becoming wet.

"You can be whoever you want to be" Jack whispered to his child, "You will be wonderful."

"Jack, I'm getting cold" Ianto whispered and Jack rose, reaching for the bathrobe on the chair by the door.

"Come on darling" Jack smiled, helping Ianto rise and he quickly towelled him down as he pulled on the robe.

"The boys have the twins out back playing footy." Ianto said as he took Jack's hand for stability as he stepped from the tub.

"I want to make love to you" Jack blurted, "I want … I want to be a part of you."

"Jack!" Ianto admonished, "It's the afternoon."

"Yeah? Afternoon delight? Oh please, I need you. Gods, I'm so horny" Jack whined.

Ianto pretended to think about it as Jack shuffled from foot to foot eagerly watching.

"Oh, I suppose so" Ianto said as he moved into the bedroom and climbed into the waiting bed.

Jack eagerly tore at his clothes and joined his husband who lay in repose with the robe laying open.

Jack took him in his mouth, suckling and licking as Ianto groaned and went boneless under his ministrations.

Jack was an attentive lover and doubly so when tending to a pregnant mate.

Ianto cried out and bucked as Jack positioned himself and then impaled himself on Ianto's erection, his own hard on rubbing against the bump.

Ianto reached up and stroked Jack's face as he leaned over him, wishing he could have a kiss but knowing bump wouldn't allow it so he settled for kissing Jack's fingers as Jack stroked his face as well.

"Jack, ahhhhhh, please" Ianto begged as he felt the tell-tale clenching in his gut.

"Yeah, oh, yeah" Jack grinned as he watched his husband's face contort.

Ianto gave a hoarse cry as he came, bucking into Jack as Jack threw his head back and gasped for air, his own orgasm starting.

Ianto was done, laying back boneless and gasping as Jack landed next to him, laughing softly.

Soft kisses and gentle stroking soon had Ianto nodding off to sleep and Jack lay watching Ianto's eyelids fluttering as he slept.

"I love you" Jack whispered, his fingers finding the bump.

Little fluttering under his fingertips had him grinning as his baby said hello.

"Daddy loves you" Jack crooned to the bump, "Daddy loves his little beastie."

"Dad?" a voice came through the door. "You awake?"

Jack slid from the bed and pulled on a robe before opening the door and looking out at CJ.

"We're starting dinner. You think Taddy's tummy is going to be up for food tonight?" CJ asked worriedly and Jack smiled.

"Tad is feeling good, he had a lovely bath and now he's having a snooze. By dinner time he'll be hungry, for sure" Jack assured him and CJ nodded, then left.

"Cariad" Ianto sighed from the bed ad Jack rushed back, happy to cuddle some more.

As the children whooped and hollered as they ran up and down the hall, Jack watched Ianto settle once more and smile in his sleep.

Gods, that this could last forever.


	44. Chapter 44

44

Ianto rubbed his belly and hummed softly as he wandered around the store.

The 'Big N Bold' store was his favourite store at the moment, his growing belly accommodated nicely by the racks of clothes for the …ahem …. Fuller figured man.

"Mr Harkness-Jones, you look awesome in those trousers" Wayne, the salesman gushed as he rushed over.

"Wayne, my man. I want some cardigans, I'm feeling the cold in my lower back, so they have to be nice and long." Ianto said with a soft smile.

"Oh wow, we have these ones over here, almost like robes. You can button them up or wrap and button, see?" as Wayne demonstrated, Ianto made the right noises.

"Do you have it in red? Or plum?" Ianto considered.

"Oh my, hello there" a voice purred and Ianto turned to find a middle aged woman practically leering at him.

"Um, hello" Ianto smiled politely.

"You are so handsome in the 'filente' design" she gushed "I knew we sold one recently in that colour but I never imagined it could look so good."

"This is Kera Dollset, the designer and tailor for this store" Wayne explained and Ianto relaxed, it was the clothes, not him that interested her.

"Perhaps you can tell me if you intend doing a waistcoat for the 'Big and Busy' suit?" Ianto asked.

"A waistcoat?"

"Yes, my husband loves me in a three piece but recently, well. I don't fit my old suits and I can't keep my fob watch with me in a two piece" Ianto waved his hand around.

"Oh. I never thought of that, not many men still wear the classics."

"I think you would be surprised, I know my husband would eagerly purchase at least three sets of three pieces in varying sizes to accommodate my growing girth" Ianto laughed.

"Well if I can take your measurements, I could work out if it can be done" she smiled.

"Um, I'll need my husband. He is very protective and even the thought of someone measuring me might upset him" Ianto wandered over to one side to call Jack and Wayne sighed.

"You're in for a treat now" he warned her, "Captain Harkness-Jones is so lovely."

Kera stood with her jaw hanging as the handsome captain swept into the store and immediately swept Ianto into a kiss.

"Cariad, this is Kera. She makes these wonderful clothes and I asked her about a three piece" Ianto explained.

The smile that was bestowed upon her was like a sun shower.

Oh, she was wet aright, but so damn warm.

She was surprised at how attentive he was, how closely he watched her hands as she smoothed the measuring tape around Ianto's belly and she could have sworn he growled softly when she knelt to do the inside leg.

"Thank you" Ianto said with a serene smile as the Captain plastered himself against his back and whispered in his ear. "No Cariad, no changing room."

Jack pouted and Ianto smiled, "Think of the fashion show at home. In our bedroom later"

Jack's pout fades and the sun came out again.

As Jack paid for the clothes Ianto had chosen, he added a pair of socks with little clocks on them.

"Cariad!" Ianto growled.

"They are soooo cute" Jack simpered, "I can nibble on you toesies in the water while bathing with you, then pop these on once I've dried them. All warm and cute."

"You big softie" Ianto grinned.

"I love your little toesies" Jack simpered some more, "your cute little piggiliy wiggiles. Oh, look! This towel is extra big, a bath sheet. What a great idea. Look, I can dry you with just one towel instead of two. "

As they left the store Jack could been seen running ahead to open the passenger door, then turn with a blinding smile to help Ianto in.

The shopping was placed on the back seat and then Jack leaned in for a searing kiss and to do the seatbelt, a tender moment kissing the bump and making sure that the belt was not cutting into the bump.

Wayne and Kera sighed as they watched Ianto stroke Jack's face and pout for another kiss.

Then the door was closed and Jack ran around to the driver's door and the SUV roared off.

"How romantic" she sighed.

"I know. He must be an attentive feeder because that poor man is getting so large."

"So handsome though, he seemed to practically glow with life."

"Yeah" Wayne sighed, "Bloody gorgeous, wasn't he."

"Yeah" she smiled, "The Captain was handsome too."


	45. Chapter 45

45

Ianto was dancing.

Jack stood in the doorway, transfixed as his husband gyrated to the music.

Ianto was wearing a tight pair of leggings that were wedged beneath the bump and his singlet didn't cover the bump either, giving the appearance of a half moon.

His arse was amazing.

The tempo changed and Ianto huffed as he began to lunge, stretching his muscles.

Jack sank into the nearest chair, unable to stop looking as Ianto now started to twist, the belly swinging as he moved and puffed through his exercises.

Finally, Ianto noticed the panting on the corner and looked over to find Jack leering at him while palming his crotch.

"Jack! I'm doing this so I'm not a bloody whale when peanut comes out" Ianto admonished, "I'm not doing this for your bloody erotic amusement. It's bloody hard."

"Too right it's hard" Jack gasped, "Gods, you are so fuckable in that outfit."

"Jack!"

"Taddy!"

Jack looked with horror as RJ stepped into his line of sight in her little pink leotard.

"Bubs?" Jack said as he straightened in the chair with a look of horror.

"Taddy needs to be fit, it's important for Peanut." She growled, "you are distracting Taddy when he needs to be doing his workout! You have a potty mouth and shouldn't talk like that around Peanut!"

"Sorry darling" Jack simpered as Ianto sniggered.

"The books say the baby has ears now and can hear you being naughty." RJ sternly growled at him, "You must stop being so bad!"

"Yes Princess" Jack grovelled.

"Taddy, come on. Shake it off!" RJ demanded as she restarted the music and Ianto sighed, then began to move again.

Jack wandered into the kitchen and found Tarn cooking while CJ watched, lovingly rubbing his back.

"Hello dumplings" Jack crowed as he plopped into a chair.

"Hello Sir, would you like something to snack on before dinner?" Tarn asked as he turned with a soft smile.

"I'm OK thank you sweetie" Jack grinned, watching CJ as he handed Tarn the salt shaker.

"I've just realised something" Jack said softly and they turned to look at him again.

"Your Taddy said something the other day and I didn't get it, now I get it" Jack smiled.

"What was that Dad?"

"He was almost asleep and I said that I thought the two of you were a nice match." Jack said as he accepted the sandwich he hadn't asked for but did actually want now he had seen it, "He laughed at me"

"He did?" Tarn canted his head with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah" Jack smiled, "He pointed out a glaringly obvious fact."

"What is that Dad?" CJ asked as he accepted his own sandwich and a soft kiss.

"That the two of you are us, all over again" Jack grinned.

"What?"

"Well, you are my son to a T" Jack grinned, "And Tarn is so much like your Tad. Of course the two of you are a lovely couple."

CJ blinked and then looked at Tarn who was smiling.

"You really think I'm like Ta … Ianto?" Tarn asked with wide eyes.

"You can call him Taddy if you want to, he does love you and considers you his boy, you know. I think it would tickle him pink." Jack said before taking a bite and groaning with delight.

"Never thought about it." CJ turned to look at Tarn, "You are like Taddy. Kind, considerate, attentive, forgiving."

"Nice on the eye" Jack said through a mouthful of sandwich.

"Oi! Mine!" CJ said with a huff of amusement.

"See? What I call your Taddy all the time" Jack licked his fingers as Tarn rose to take the plate. He then took CJs as well.

"Another one Cariad?"

"Yes please" two happy voices answered and Tarn blushed as he hurried to make more.

"Dad, he's mine!"


	46. Chapter 46

46

Ianto was asleep.

Laying on the back lawn, on the blanket Tarn had spread out for the picnic.

Tarn had placed the food to one side on another blanket, the sight of Ianto asleep too precious to spoil.

Ianto was supposed to be waiting for the food while securing the blanket but he had lain on it while waiting. Couple that with the warm day and you get a sleeping pregnant Welshman.

Tarn regarded his sleeping father-to-be then quietly went back inside and retrieved the old quilt, laying it over the lovely man as he slept.

A cushion from the sofa was delicately slid under his head and a kiss placed on his forehead.

"To borrow a phrase from my son …" Jack said as he watched the kiss, "… He's mine"

Tarn grinned as he looked up at Jack, his hand protectively placed on the bump and Jack smiled. This was a protective one, for certain.

Ianto sighed and Jack knelt, leaning in to kiss his sleeping beauty.

The scream from the house had Ianto's eyes open in a nanosecond and he flew up, head-butting Jack who yelped and flew back onto his arse.

Ianto cried out, grabbing his forehead as Jack writhed on the ground, his broken nose spurting blood which streamed from his fingers as he tried to correct the break.

"What the fucking hell was that!" Ianto roared, trying to rise again and Tarn grabbed his arm to steady him. "I'll kill them, I will fucking kill the lot of them!"

"Oh no" Jack moaned and Tarn knelt to help him.

"Your poor nose" Tarn crooned.

"No, Ianto. He's entering the explosive stage" Jack whined.

"Explosive stage?" Tarn asked with confusion.

"In the early stages of the third trimester, he gets extremely touchy. He judges himself, his weight, his place in my heart, his ability as a parent. Once he's over it, he's docile and serene. Our baby is anticipated eagerly" Jack explained, "But for the next two weeks or so, it is going to be sheer bloody hell!"

"Oh no" Tarn whispered.

"Expect tears and tantrums." Jack warned, "The kids won't like it either."

"It won't get too bad … will it?" Tarn asked.

"Well, the twins weren't so bad, he was bedridden. But with CJ? He shot me for not wearing bed socks with my cold feet in the bed."

"What?"

"He took my own gun and shot me" Jack said, "Was unrepentant too."

"That's why you have so many pairs of socks?" Tarn surmised.

"Yep, a wear a pair every night, come hell or high water, winter or summer. I have nice cotton ones for summer that aren't too hot" Jack sighed.

"Surely not all the time" Tarn huffed, "Only because of the pregnancy hormones?"

"Nope!" Jack grinned, "For him, I would wear anything. He even said I didn't have to, but it's the principle, ya know?"

"Yes?"

"Yes. If he can put up with the unbelievable discomfort of giving me my babies, I can at least honour his dislike for cold feet!" Jack wiped his nose and smiled, shining Tarn that it had healed.

"Now. Let's see if he's skinned one alive, shall we?"

They strode towards the house in hero poses, both a little afraid of the demon raging inside.

Woe betide them.


	47. Chapter 47

47

"Well?" Ianto demanded, his hands on his hips and the bump poking out into the room.

Everyone was seated in the living room, silent and staring at him with open fear.

"Either someone answers me or you will all bloody well pay!" Ianto snarled as he spun on his heel and walked some more.

His stomach looked huge in the shirt that was stretched as far as it would go. It had been a favourite sleeping shirt but was now stretched beyond repair.

"Well?" Ianto stopped pacing and canted his head, "I'm waiting."

RJ looked at her brothers and her eyes begged them to do something, to protect her but Ianto saw it.

"RJ?" he said as he leaned into her face, "Something to tell me?"

She squirmed and screwed up her face, "Sorry Taddy."

"Well?" he groaned as he took a knee and looked into her face.

"It was me who didn't hang the bath towels up properly last night" she said softly, her bottom lip quivering.

Ianto sighed and rubbed his belly.

"OK thank you for you honesty." Ianto rose and regarded the room, "Shame the rest of the family is less honest. I forgive you. You may go."

She looked to her twin who hand motioned her to go, quickly.

She felt bad leaving him to Taddy's wrath but was also relieved that Taddy had not wanted that confession. Whatever it had been, it must have been bad.

Real bad.

Next to break was SJ, wanting to follow his sister.

"I left the toilet light on after a pee in the night, but it was really early morning." He said looking imploringly at his Tad, "I didn't leave it on all night. Honest."

Ianto looked at him silently and then a single nod.

SJ ran from the room like the hounds of hell were after him.

That left three little Indians and Ianto eyeballed them.

Tarn had hold of CJ's hand and squeezed as Ianto leaned into his face.

"Tarn, I know you are innocent in all this." He whispered, "You would never do something to upset me like this. You at least, care about my baby's needs."

Ianto was pacing again, Jack sweating as he wracked his brain for what he might have done.

"Tad, I honestly don't know what is wrong" CJ said calmly, "Apart from forgetting to remove my shoes the other day, I can't think of anything. You yelled at me then, I know you don't punish twice so I'm at a loss here."

Ianto's eyes rolled to Jack who squeaked and looked back with wide eyes.

"Taddy, maybe if you tell us? We might know what happened" Tarn said and Ianto swung to look at him with wonder.

"What did you call me?"

"Um, Taddy?" Tarn squirmed.

Ianto burst into tears as he flopped onto the sofa and hugged a shocked Tarn to his breast as he glared at the other two.

"See? He loves me" Ianto growled, "My baby."

"Hon, please." Jack begged.

"The Jammy Dodgers" Ianto hissed, "Who fucking well ate my Peanut's Jammy Dodgers? I had a whole packet aside for Peanut's craving in the night and what did I find? Empty container this morning. Sorry Tarn darling, dirty mouthed Taddy."

Ianto kissed Tarn's head and crooned as Tarn sat shocked into immobility.

"Baby, you ate them" Jack said softly.

"Bullshit!" Ianto roared, his hands over Tarn's ears as Tarn blinked.

"Baby, you woke in the night and complained that you were hot. You threw all the covers over onto me and then went for a pee." Jack said as he leaned forward in the chair.

"I did not!" Ianto frowned as he tried to remember.

"You complained that the under floor heating was off again, walked into the kitchen and returned with the packet of JDs."

Ianto was frowning as he finally released Tarn who kissed his cheek before scooting back to CJ's arms.

"Are you sure?" Ianto asked softly, "I don't remember that."

"You put the packet in the bedside drawer and then complained about the crumbs" Jack sighed, "Remember? I had to get the dust buster and vacuum the bed before you would settle."

"I …. I do remember the crumbs." Ianto said then he took off for the bedroom.

Jack sighed as a howl came from the bedroom and motioned the boys to stay there.

Ianto sat on the bed cradling the packet as he wept and Jack sat, taking him into his arms, JDs and all.

"I yelled at everyone" Ianto sobbed, "I was horrid and it was me! It was me all along"

"It's ok" Jack soothed.

"I'm horrible!" Ianto wailed.

"No darling" Jack crowed, "you're pregnant."

"Oh Cariad" Ianto leaned into him, "What wold I do without you."

"Never have to find out" Jack assured him as he kissed him and rubbed the belly.

"I'm never leaving you."


	48. Chapter 48

48

The twins were fighting.

The usual kind, silent ninja style shots at each other that the other family members couldn't quite catch happening.

RJ had been in tears and taken a voluntary timeout in Taddy's bed. Sleeping with her face buried into Peanut.

She had kissed Peanut and then kissed Taddy and re-entered the fight.

Now it was SJ, sniffling as he pulled at the blankets and Ianto sighed as his sleep was interrupted yet again.

"What are you two fighting about anyway" Ianto muttered.

"Nuffin" came the reply as SJ demanded Ianto's arms hug tighter.

After an hour, he was hot and fidgety, sliding out to re-join the others.

"Hey good looking" Jack said softly as he came in an hour later.

"Oh for fucks sake!" Ianto exploded, "I didn't get any sleep last night with cramps and heartburn and now everyone keeps pissing me off!"

"Sorry" Jack said in a small voice and Ianto sighed, feeling like shit.

"Sorry Cariad, it's not your fault" Ianto flopped over, Peanut reaching for the sky, "I'm just so tired and the minions are fighting and ….I'm …."

Ianto's bottom lip started and Jack crawled onto the bed to sing softly to his beloveds.

Once Ianto was asleep and Peanut had finished the gymnastics routine in Taddy's belly, Jack slid form the bed and went to sort the beasts.

He found the kids in the living room and he sat quietly, watching as SJ whispered something to RJ, who turned with a look of pure thunder.

Whatever she returned at him, he was now reaching for her ponytail.

"It's only just getting long enough to please Taddy so he can plait it, don't you do anything to her hair" Jack said softly and the two older boys whipped around to stare at the twins.

"She started it" SJ muttered.

"From what I've observed, you are both stirring each other" Jack said, "And I want to know why."

Silence.

"I can go wake Taddy" Jack went to rise from the chair and everyone gasped with horror.

"Well?" he sat down again, "Tell me?"

"It's Peanut" RJ sighed as she rolled her eyes in typical fashion.

"Look, we don't know if it's a boy or girl so…."

"No." RJ snapped, "It's not that. We are arguing about who Peanut will love the monst. SJ can get Peanut to do flips but Peanut goes quiet for me." RJ pouted.

"Wait. You're arguing over who Peanut will love the most?" Jack gaped, then sighed.

"You're both wrong" he finally said, "Peanut will love you all but the one he will love the most is the same one you all loved the most."

They all said the same name, then laughed softly at themselves.

Taddy.


	49. Chapter 49

49

It was early hours of the morning and Ianto was kneeling by the bathtub as it filled.

Tarn had woken when the hall light came on, spilling out the backdoor window over the lawn.

They hadn't pulled the curtains as they had wanted to cuddle and look at the stars, so Tarn woke and slide from the bed, pausing to cover his love … soon to be lover.

God, he ached for him to fill him with child.

He padded into the house and saw the bathroom door open.

All thoughts of a midnight snack forgotten as he noted the white knuckles and soft moaning as Ianto rocked.

"Taddy?" he rushed to his side, worry etched on his face.

"Shhh" Ianto shushed, "Don't wake everyone yet. It's too early."

"What?"

"I'll be at least four hours with this one, before we get anywhere" Ianto gasped, "My birthing canal is still forming."

"Oh my god" Tarn's pretty eyes widened to fill his face, "The baby is coming?"

"Yeah" Ianto whined, rocking as his back spasmed.

"What do I do?" Tarn tried to be calm.

"I need the water" Ianto whispered as he felt the cramp finally give, "I'll feel better in the hot water. If you can get me some towels, and maybe a snack for us both? This will take a while and we may as well get comfortable."

Tarn made a couple of sandwiches and got some coke from the fridge, not usually allowed but he knew Taddy needed the caffeine now.

"Oh god, you star!" Ianto cried when he saw the coke cans and he made grabby motions that were so like CJ that Tarn fell in love a wee bit more.

He thought it would be weird seeing Taddy naked but that lovely bump was so pretty, like a wee island of love poking out of the bubbles that Tarn stroked it and crooned.

"Oh, that helps" Ianto sighed, "Peanut likes you, do that some more."

Tarn grinned and crooned as his fingers stroked.

"Ah, nice" Ianto let his head fall back.

"Should I be jealous?" Jack's voice was like hot coffee and Ianto groaned again.

"Peanut's coming" Tarn whispered with glee and Jack's face paled.

"Shit" he fumbled with his phone and rang Owen.

Ianto reached out and took Tarn's hand, sliding it to one side. Tarn giggled as he felt the pressure of a contraction.

"Fuck" Ianto gasped, blinking back tears, "That was a biggie."

"How far apart baby?" Jack asked, "Ianto?"

"That was the first big one" Tarn answered, "Just cramps but that was a full on contraction. Wow, I felt it!"

"Peanut is coming" Ianto grinned, "I missed this with the twins. CJ had been a long but wonderful birth but the twins were a bit early and I had to have a C-section. Oh god, I forgot how much it hurts."

"Hurts?" Tarn said, fearful for Ianto.

"It's OK" Ianto assured him, "It natural, it won't kill me."

"Oh wow" Tarn breathed as the water in the bath started to undulate.

"Oh Peanut" Ianto sighed as he rubbed his belly.

Owen's motorbike roared up the side of the house and Jack went to let him in.

Showtime!


	50. Chapter 50

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They made it to the hub in record time, Ianto wrapped lovingly in blankets and cradled in the back by Tarn and CJ.

Gwen had turned up to provide transport for the twins, who needed to be dressed and herded like wild animals as they realised what was afoot.

They got to the hub in time to hear Ianto scream.

A low guttural cry that had Myfanwy cursing back at him from the rafters.

"Shit" Gwen muttered, heading for Rhys who was wringing his hands as Anwen stood next to him, covering her mouth like her mother sometimes did.

"Mama, he's in pain" she whispered, her hand going to her own stomach that was just starting to show.

"Birth does hurt honey" Rhys answered, "Shame your fella didn't think of that before he knocked you up."

"Oh Dad, grow up!" she huffed, seeing the twins and lighting up.

"Hey guys, you want to get somethimg to eat?" she offered.

"Taddy's hurting" RJ whined

"No, that is just the birthing noise" she assured them, "When you have a baby you are supposed to make that noise, it calls the baby out."

She shrugged at her mother who giggled softly, then nodded solemnly when the small heads swivelled to look at her for confirmation. "Yep. Ask Uncle Rhys, I was a right potty mouth."

"She hit me an' all!" Rhys confided with a look of horror, "Right across me mush."

RJ giggled as SJ frowned and turned to CJ with a perturbed look.

"Yes?" CJ asked.

"No noise. Does that mean Taddy is done?" he asked his brother.

CJ turned to Martha who took over, "No. Taddy feels it on waves… you know, like hard, then soft and hard again. The quicker the hard bits, the better it can be to get the baby out."

"Out if where?" RJ frowned.

"Er, Taddy's Tum" Martha finally said.

"How?"

"Taddy grew a special birthing channel, like a hole Bubba can fit through. It's a tight squeeze so poor Taddy has to work hard to get Peanut out."

"Oh" RJ sighed, "Taddy got fat with baby and now it comes out and his belly goes down, like a balloon."

"Clever girl" Martha crooned.

"Not fair!" SJ hissed at her. "Saying balloon. You know I the balloons, they mean clowns and … well."

"Well what"

"The clowns."


	51. Chapter 51

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"Peter!" SJ said with his arms folded to show the finality of his decision.

"No! Gypsy!" RJ snarled back as she defiantly glared him down.

"We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet" CJ reasoned, "Can we argue the bloody name toss later? Taddy gets the final say, you know he will."

"But …" SJ began.

"No, he's right" RJ sighed theatrically as she slumped in the chair, "Taddy will say, Daddy with cry and we get what we get."

CJ smothered his giggle behind a coughing fit but RJ's glare told him that she didn't believe that for a minute.

"If you are quite finished" Martha said softly, making them all jump, "Your little one is here and I think your voices are carrying."

"And Taddy?" CJ asked with obvious concern.

"Fine. A trooper, as always" she smiled back lovingly at him.

They walked quietly down the steps to the autopsy bay, no matter how many times Uncle Owen declared it a birthing suite with his usual sarcasm, and saw Jack sitting behind Ianto, looking over his shoulder with wonder at the little bundle in Ianto's arms.

"Here they are" Ianto smiled, "Came meet your new thing to argue over."

CJ looked at Tarn who has stayed by Ianto's side during the delivery and saw tears drying on his cheeks as he grinned stupidly at Ianto and the baby.

 _Man, their wedding night was going to be explosive._

The twins gathered by the bed and Jack moved to lift them up to see, "Carefully, see Taddy has a shunt in his hand? Aunty Martha is giving him some stuff he needs through that tube. It is sore, so don't knock it."

SJ tried to look at the baby while RJ reached out to stoke Ianto's hand with a worried frown.

"It's OK darling" Ianto whispered.

"I wanna call 'im Peter!" SJ said daringly, looking at his sister quick before staring at his Taddy.

"I heard that" Ianto huffed, "And Gypsy for RJ?"

"Yeah" she said absently as saw what her brother hadn't. The wee hat was the palest shade of pink.

"Well, P. E. T. A. Peta." Ianto nodded, "Our wee peanut could be a Peta?"

"She does look a bit like a Peta I suppose" Jack pouted and cocked his head, "But Peta Gypsy? PG sounds silly."

"J. I. P. S. I. E. Jipsie" Ianto said softly, "PJ."

Everyone blinked at Ianto's logic and then RJ let out a whoop of victory.

The baby began a little kitten cry and Tarn made one of his own, Ianto smiling as he let him take the baby to cuddle and show CJ.

As Ianto leaned back against Jack and moaned softly, Jack kissed him and whispered his thanks.

A girl!

A tiny little diamond.


	52. Chapter 52

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"Peta" Tosh enthused, "Like Peta-lee, One of Heidi's children. Did I get that right?"

"Heidi?" Tarn asked softly, "What's a Heidi?"

"Heidi was a girl who lived in the Alps with her goats and she fell in love with Peter. Their daughter was named Peta-lee, I'm sure of it."

"A series of novels" Tosh explained as she tried to find it on line.

Jack had helped Ianto to the sleeping quarters of the hub, concerned that he was not bouncing back.

"I'm just tired darling" Ianto assured him, his words slurring with the effort.

Jack looked to Owen and Martha for reassurance and was told the same thing.

He returned to the room and watched the rise and fall of his love's chest as he waited for the baby to be returned.

Tarn soon crept in with the little bundle cradled possessively to his chest and he softly kissed Jack's cheek as he handed PJ over, touching Jack's cheek as he whispered his undying promise to die to protect her.

Jack grinned as he watched Tarn flee the room in full blush, a quick glance back as he slid out past the doorframe showing a brilliant grin.

Ianto was right. He was a replica.

Jack sat back and looked at his wee pearl. His darling wee Pet.

She was the smallest of their children and he had thought RJ small.

"A bit early" Martha said softly and he jumped slightly, not even having heard her enter.

"But healthy?"

"Her lungs are developed, just." Martha sighed, "She's prem. I don't … for some reason Ianto couldn't carry her to full term. I think his body tried to speed up her development like it knew she needed help. She'll survive but she might be a little sickly at first."

Jack frowned as he considered this, knowing Ianto would somehow blame himself if she was ill.

"Worst case scenario?" he asked, looking up and watched a grimace.

"Oh Jack, just love her and she will …"

"He asked you a question" Ianto's voice was loud in the room and they turned to look at him with guilty faces.

"Her lungs are weak. She may develop asthma, defensively be susceptible to infections and … worst case scenario, she might be high risk for crib death" she said reluctantly.

Ianto lay still as he stared at her, then his eyes rolled to the little baby.

"We'll look after her" Jack assured him, "We'll monitor her within an inch of her life, literally. Mainframe can be used, we'll know if she burps, farts or sneezes. God forbid she forget to take a breath, we'll breathe for her."

Ianto reached for him, cuddling both him and baby as Jack settled in the bed with the baby between them.

"Look at her" Ianto sighed, "What a tiny little elf."

"She's perfect" Jack enthused, "Good things come in small packages. Just ask Owen, watch him look over at Tosh before he agrees."

Ianto kissed him and sighed again as he settled back in his arms.

Tarn crept in and Jack watched as he looked over Ianto's sleeping form, long delicate fingers twitching as he held back from taking the baby again.

"Be your turn soon" Jack said softly and Tarn blinked, then grinned.

"I want lots. I want a whole litter" Tarn whispered and Jack suddenly remembered that they have large families.

"Of course" Jack assured him, "We will love them all and they will be beautiful."

"I see how pretty your babies are, I want one too" Tarn sighed.

"This one needs a nappy change" Ianto muttered, "And I still want to sleep."

Tarn made a small happy sound as he accepted the wee bub and he moved to the changing table as he crooned.

Then came the unhappy noise as he opened it, followed by a "blurk" noise as he removed the nappy and the first poo, tar-like that stuck to the baby's bum was carefully wiped away with copious wet-wipes.

The two men giggled softly from the bed as they hoped that had curbed his enthusiasm for a while.


	53. Chapter 53

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The baby was fussing and Ianto opened his eyes to find her being pressed to his breast by a defiantly grim Jack.

"She's prem Jack, his milk might not be in" Martha said softly.

Ianto blinked and tried to focus as a little mouth finally latched on and began to suckle.

"There she goes" Jack crowed softly, grinning proudly as she closed her eyes and concentrated.

Ianto drew his arms up and claimed his baby, watching her little jaw move as she took what she needed and sighed softly.

Tarn stood at the end of the bed watching nervously while CJ tried to soothe him, running his hands up and down his arms from behind.

"See Tarnish? She's away" he crooned.

"So small, oh darling she needs smaller clothes" Tarn whispered, "Like a wee doll."

"She has some prem sizes in the bottom drawer of the dresser" Ianto whispered, "I got blue, pink and a pretty peppermint I couldn't resist."

"Oh wow" Tarn clapped gently, "We must go get them, immediately."

He swung to look at CJ gleefully, "I wanna dress her!"

"Don't you think that's Taddy's job?" CJ laughed.

Tarn whined and gave puppy dog eyes to the whole room as Ianto smiled softly.

"Go get the things, we'll all chose her first official outfit then you can help Jack dress her" Ianto conceded.

As the boys rushed off with the twins in tow Jack frowned and looked over at Ianto who was drifting off to sleep with the baby at his breast.

"Ianto?" Jack said softly, "Are you OK?"

"Tired" Ianto muttered, drifting off.

Martha frowned and reached out to check Ianto over with a quick scan.

"He's still showing signs of recovery" she said softly, "He's taking a while to heal."

"Stop it woman" Ianto growled, rolling as he carefully adjusted the baby.

"Sorry Ianto, I didn't mean to wake you" She whispered.

Jack rose and retrieved the baby, sitting back own as she squalled and waved her arms.

"Burp" Ianto sighed, rolling again.

"What?" Jack had never been called that before.

"Burp her, ya Twpsyn, she's windy!" Ianto laughed into his pillow at Jack's pained expression.

"Oh! Sorry Peanut" Jack grinned as he flicked her expertly into his shoulder and patted her back.

The wet belch made him laugh as he gently lowered her and watched those long lashes he loved on Ianto and all of their children so much, flutter on tiny china cheeks.

"OK?" Ianto asked as he watched his husband go gooey.

"Yeh" Jack sighed, "Perfect."

Ianto closed his eyes and drifted off, confident that they were all OK.

Jack looked up from his wee gem and watched Ianto's chest as it rose and fell.

He wasn't bouncing back this time.

Jack was worried.


	54. Chapter 54

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"I mean it Martha, he's never lingered like this!" Jack growled.

"I don't know!" she answered, just as annoyed, "He just isn't responding to anything!"

Jack had waited long enough and he check to see where the kids were, finding them all cooing over a little bassinette in the main hub.

He entered the sleeping quarters and found Ianto still staring listlessly into space, so he climbed onto the bed and reached for him.

"Come here baby"

Jack kissed him and Ianto moaned softly.

Jack looked into his eyes and watched the pupils dilate a bit, then did it again, this time sealing their mouths and pushing with all his might.

Ianto grabbed at him as they began to glow, filling the room with golden light.

This was it.

This was what he needed.

Jack settled in top of his love and took his face in his hands, kissing him yet again and pushing with every ounce of his heart, all his love, all his life.

Ianto felt time slow, the ticking clock by the bed seems to mute as he felt his husband in his arms, their heartbeats joining, synchronizing and beating out the tattoo of their love song through their veins.

Ianto broke the kiss and fell back, the glow slowly fading as Jack watched with adoration.

"How do you feel now baby" Jack asked softly.

"Like you have too many clothes on Cariad" came a husky reply and Jack quickly did the 'get naked' dance as Ianto growled and palmed himself.

"Cariad" Ianto was whining as he began to pant.

Jack rushed into the bed and found Ianto not only loose and ready but handsey as well as he practically forced Jack between his legs with breathy whispered encouragement.

Jack pushed into him and Ianto gasped as he arched udder him, eagerly taking him in.

Jack began to gently move and Ianto sighed, a sound of release as he relaxed.

They both came in each other's arms as they breathed into each other's mouths, completely absorbed in each other.

As Jack came down from his happy place he looked at Ianto who was already sleep, a healthy glow to his skin showing his recovery.

Jack could have kicked himself for forgetting the loving after each birth, Ianto's top up of happiness.

Ianto sighed in his sleep and gave a dopey grin that melted Jack's heart.

How could he ever resist a happy place with this man?


End file.
